


Saltwater & Seaweed

by littleblackfox, ShinyNewPenny



Category: Captain America (Movies), Captain America - All Media Types, Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Fantasy, Bucky's underwater garden, Captain America Reverse Big Bang 2019, Coral - Freeform, Depressed Steve Rogers, Flirty Bucky, Grief, I promise, Kissing, Lots of Water, M/M, Merman!Bucky, Minor Character Death, Nightmares, Not Canon Compliant, Oysters, PTSD, Poseidon god of the ocean, Pre-Serum Steve Rogers, Sexy Bucky, Some blood and gore, Steve Needs a Hug, Survivors Guilt, These two idiots love each other, Tony as a turtle, Water, and HYDRA hydra, are gross, because turtles are cute, bucky has too, hunky MerBucky, hydra monster, kelp, kelp forest, mer!Bucky, not much, okay?, pet turtle, reef - Freeform, sea witch!Natasha, seaweed - Freeform, steve has seen some shit, sunset on the beach, the water has feelings, watery nymph!Steve, woodland fairy
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-06-13
Updated: 2019-06-13
Packaged: 2020-05-07 08:02:09
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 15
Words: 30,126
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19205239
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/littleblackfox/pseuds/littleblackfox, https://archiveofourown.org/users/ShinyNewPenny/pseuds/ShinyNewPenny
Summary: After losing his home and everything he loves, Steve is taken in by a hunky merman named Bucky. Together they set out on a quest to save the world, get some revenge and maybe even fall in love.Featuring water nymph!Steve and Mer!BuckyWritten for Cap RBB 2019





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This is based on Littleblackfox's art, which is absolutely amazing! Make sure you give her a visit and give her lots of love! She is so gifted and talented!
> 
> HUGE thank you to Aylwyyn228 for being the most patient and understanding beta ever. Seriously. This would be unreadable without her. She did such an fantastic job. She wrote her own fic for Cap RBB 2019 and it's freaking adorable. Make sure you go give it some love!

 

Steve ran for his life.

The ground trembled under his feet, the trees around him shook like they were quaking in fear. All the leaves fluttered and the branches swayed violently, but their message was clear. _Run_. He could hear the creature. The snap of its jaws and its high shrieks piercing the air. 

The smell of rotten flesh and copper blood assaulted him. It was close. Too close. 

Steve kept his feet moving, pounding the ground and frantically looking for an escape. He pushed himself harder, trying to outrun the death that permeated the air behind him. His lungs rattled and struggled to keep up, burning from the air. He needed to get to water. The air always dried him out. He could only stay on land for so long.

A sudden loud crack pierced the air as a tree trunk ahead of him snapped like a twig and slammed into the ground about a hundred feet in front of him. _Shit_. There must be a woodland fairy with them. He had to get out. And fast. 

His feet didn’t slow as he gathered his powers around him. He ran directly toward the downed tree and jumped, using a jet of water from his hands to propel him just far enough to clear the oak. 

He landed hard on the other side, struggling to keep upright. Mud and twigs slid under his feet as he started running again. 

Another shriek rang out as the monster realized its prey hadn’t slowed. Steve couldn’t manage to evade it much longer though. He turned himself slightly to the south; with any luck he could make it to the river... If he was in the area he thought he was, that is. He had never wandered this far away from the grove before, from his lake. 

Images of the last time he saw his home flooded his mind… blood… death… covering what was once so lively and beautiful. He had been too late. They were all gone. But he couldn’t think of that now, not if he wanted to survive. Choking on his misery and sorrow would get him nowhere. 

He pushed his feet to move faster. They were starting to go numb, he wouldn’t last much longer. 

He only made it a few more strides before he stumbled, landing hard on the ground. 

Cover. He had to find cover. There was a brush only a few paces away. It would have to do. He crawled under the scrawny branches praying to the goddesses that he may be spared.   
He tried to quiet his own heavy pants. The surrounding forest was dead silent. All the animals had fled and the trees had stopped shaking. Even they were too afraid to make any noise anymore. 

Steve no longer felt the ground thumping under the monsters weight. Most would take this as a positive sign, but Steve knew better. He would die soon. It was always quiet before the kill. 

The smell of rotten flesh grew even more prominent and Steve had to hold back a gag. An explosion of snapping twigs and splintering bark resonated through the silence as one of the beast’s large heads came bursting through the trees. It was massive. A long flexible neck covered in green scales tapered off into a snapping jaw filled with sharp, bone breaking teeth. Yellow eyes glowed slightly as they searched for its prey, its serpent like neck moving back and forth. The slits of its nostrils flared as it tried to catch his scent. 

It would find him. It was only a matter of time. 

Steve had never been one to back down from a fight, but he also wasn’t stupid. Without access to water his actions were limited. As a water nymph, he could control the water as if it were an extension of himself... but he had to be near it for that to happen. 

He would need much more water than he had left within him to take on such a monster. 

Sinking his fingers into the soft earth, he reached out with his powers, seeking any trace of water that might be near him. He could feel tendrils of his power shooting out, around rocks and roots of trees, racing along different paths all around him to find any drop of water he could use. He called to water just as water called to him. 

Small drops of dew and tiny puddles all around the surrounding forest made themselves known to him, but he would need much more than that. 

There. Just to the east. 

Steve could feel the pull of water, flowing seamlessly through the forest. The river. It wasn’t too far, he may actually have a chance if he could reach it. 

A rumble came from the head as it growled. It was much closer than before, zeroing in on Steve’s location as it scented the air around him. A plan began to develop in his mind but he’d have to be fast. He watched the beast as a string of saliva fell from its lips, tainted by remnants of his people’s blood. 

He had to time this just right.

The beast was right on him, so close he could feel the hot pungent breath on his face. He let his power simmer right below the surface and waited until the beast inhaled. As soon as he sucked air in, still chasing Steve’s scent, Steve blasted a stream of water in his face aiming for his nostrils. The beast did exactly what the water nymph was hoping he’d do, he started choking, trying to hack the water up so he could breathe clearly again. 

Steve wasted no time. He sprinted towards the river. He could hear the snarling coughs of the beast behind him as he dodged low hanging branches, focusing on keeping his feet steady as mud and leaves caused him to slide with almost every step. The river wasn’t much further. He might actually make it. Excitement rose up in him as he realized his plan actually worked. 

But just as hope was building in his chest, Steve caught the scent of rotten flesh once again. He should have known better, this wasn’t over. An explosion of foliage and slivers of wood assaulted him from the left. Raising his arm up to block most of the flying debris, he felt several cuts and bruises forming along his side as pieces of the forest ricocheted off of him. Steve didn’t slow his steps any. He knew he couldn’t. Slowing down meant death. 

Another one of the beasts’ heads came through the newly made gap in the treeline, jaw wide open, eyes blazing as it dove toward its prey. Steve threw his weight forward, diving into the mud and vegetation, barely avoiding the gaping mouth. He could feel the vibrations in his bones when the beast snapped his jaw shut right behind him. He’d just barely missed being cleaved in two by the beasts jagged teeth. 

He scrambled to his feet, pushing himself away from the beast. 

With a quick glance behind him, he saw the beast turning its head toward him as it let out a deep growl that shook the surrounding forest. He was almost at the river. Steve could sense the pull of the water, calling to him, begging to be used.

Steve could feel the beast preparing to lunge at him again, like some kind of premonition. A palpable tension that seemed to radiate around him, like a string pulled so tightly it was only a matter of time before the thread snapped. Just when Steve could feel the tension break, he lunged to the side. The beasts long neck rushed past him, right where he was running just a second before. 

The beast shrieked, realizing its prey once again alluded it. Steve quickly grabbed the branch of a nearby tree to pull himself onto his feet once more. Beneath the adrenaline rushing through him, he could feel his body getting tired. His limbs felt heavy and he was breathing so hard he felt like every creature in the forest would be able to hear him. 

Mustering the last of his strength, Steve sprinted toward the river again.

He ran right past the beast’s head as it continued to shriek in frustration. He could feel distance starting to grow between him and the beast. It wasn’t chasing him anymore. 

He didn’t have time to stop and wonder why, as his foot caught on something and he felt his weight pitch forward. He landed with a splash, looking up to see the river flowing in front of him. He made it. He actually made it. 

Energy rushed into him; he felt his body’s exhaustion melt away as the water lapped at his hands and knees where he shivered in the mud. He crawled forward as the water rose to embrace him, carrying him slightly away from the bank. It washed over him like an old friend as it seemed to caress and hug him. He felt his power building again, filling him up until he felt whole again. Steve closed his eyes and took a deep breath feeling his whole body tingling with power. 

A branch snapped behind him.

Steve whipped his head around to find a woodland fairy walking toward him. Her lithe figure was covered with green ivy, twisted around her limbs, leaves laying against her skin as if to protect her. Small purple flowers bloomed randomly on the ivy around her body, matching the color of her eyes. _They must be poisonous_ , he thought desperately.

Sheer wings rested behind her, looking so thin and fragile, as if only for decoration. Grass seemed to grow beneath her feet as she walked, paving her way toward the river. 

“I see you somehow managed to avoid death, little nymph,” she said as a smile split across her face. It should have made her even more beautiful, but somehow it just seemed to make her look savage. “My pet is very upset. He’s still hungry, you see.” 

A familiar shriek sounded behind her that made the water around Steve ripple. 

“Who are you?” Steve’s voice came out raspy. 

“Wrong question, little nymph. Who I am is of no consequence,” She came to a stop just a few yards from the bank. “You should be asking what I’m doing here. What I want.”

Steve stared at her in silence. He wasn’t in the mood for playing games. The water around him started to rise ever so slightly, his tension mirrored in the current.

She sighed when Steve didn’t respond. “You see, I’ve been sent here for you. Your power, little nymph.” 

“My name is Steve,” he snapped.

She looked around as if bored, her gaze settling on the branch above her. She plucked a leaf off with a small pop, staring at it intently. “You’re what we need to tip the scales, _little nymph_. Once we’ve absorbed your powers…” the leaf in her hand wilted. Vibrant green fading quickly to a brittle brown as the leaf crumbled in on itself. “We shall be feared once more.”

Steve had heard enough. A wave of water rushed toward the fairy, towering over her small form. She quickly flew around it, disproving Steve’s theory that the wings were only something pretty to look at. 

“You destroyed my home! My family! Everything!” Steve screamed, shooting another wave of water at her, his emotions clawing up his throat. 

Like a dam collapsing under pressure, Steve’s grief and pain burst forward, begging for revenge. The river churned all around him, quickly going from a calm and gentle flow to white rapids. 

“Well if anything, that was your fault, little nymph. We were looking for _you_ after all.” 

She flicked her hand toward the tree next to her, a loud crack split the trunk in half. The top of the tree fell toward Steve, aimed to land perfectly on his head. 

He sent a wall of water up, catching the tree with a splash and pushing it aside to float harmlessly down the river. 

Tendrils of water rose around him, dancing around the water like tentacles. They lashed out toward the woodland fairy, aiming to catch her wrists and ankles. Blades of grass grew impossibly long in front of her, snapping the water away with a flick. 

One of Steve’s tendrils managed to still bind her wrist and Steve used his power to pull as forcefully as he could. The fairy stumbled forward, falling onto her hands.

“They said you were powerful, little nymph. I was expecting so much more.” She tsked as if she was disappointed and used the ivy on her body to whip the water on her wrist away. 

Steve let his anger wash over him. Emotions made him more powerful and he had always had a ‘spitfire temper’ as his mother called it. 

His mother… his whole life had changed. And all because of this fairy and her _pet_. He could never return home. He didn’t even have a home now. They had destroyed it. 

Steve felt his power bubbling over, begging to be released. Steve lifted his hands, calling a wall of water up again, this one much more massive than the last. The fairy took a step back, peering up at the sheer amount of water looming before her. For the first time, her composure seemed to slip; the smug look on her face flickered to uncertainty. Pushing his arms forward, Steve manipulated the water to surround her. There was no flying out from this. The wall collapsed on itself before she could react, coming down on top of her. 

Steve squeezed his hands together, forming a ball of water around her, keeping her trapped inside. She squirmed and tried to swim out, legs lashing out and wings spasming violently. Steve winced as her flimsy wings seemed to almost crumple under the pressure of the water.

The fairy would drown before long. Being a water nymph, Steve could go between water and air but the fairy had no such capabilities. Her movements seemed to grow weaker and Steve felt himself hesitate. 

He had never taken a life before. He was meant to give life, not take it away. 

The fairy took advantage of Steve's distraction and flicked her wrist to somewhere behind him. There wasn’t just one crack this time. 

Steve turned just in time to see at least ten trees falling toward him. He brought his hands up, calling water up to surround him. He wasn’t fast enough. One of the trees fell hard slicing through the wave of water, heading right toward Steve. 

The last thing he remembered was water rising up to carry him away.


	2. Chapter 2

Bucky lived a pretty quiet life. Merfolk usually prefer solitude, and he was no exception. He had a modest sized cave which he called home and that was all he really needed. 

It was surrounded by coral and various sea life, giving him one of the most beautiful views when the sunlight reflected through the waves of water. Most days were peaceful, and Bucky would spend them hunting for fish, swimming along the coast, or just enjoying his seclusion and freedom. He felt it was well deserved after his service in The War. 

This particular day, however, Bucky was on edge. He had no idea why, but he woke with an unusual tension in his shoulders. He kept forcing his muscles to relax, but would find himself tense again a few minutes later. His shoulders were starting to ache with the strain. 

Rolling his shoulders, he decided to tend to his garden. 

Gardening always relaxed him. His kelp was coming along nicely, but his seagrass had been munched on recently by some sea turtles. Sighing, he made a mental note to get some repellant later. 

His friend, Natasha, lived not too far away and would probably lend him some. 

He swam around the side of his cave to check on his dulse crop. He’d take some with him when he went to see Natasha. It was her favorite and it never hurt to butter her up when he was asking for something. 

As he made his way along the coral, he watched vibrant fish scatter away from him, hiding in the coral and under rocks. There was something so relaxing about swimming along and just watching things around you unfold. The seaweed rolling back and forth under the waves, the smaller creatures of the ocean scuttling about as the sun reflected off their vibrant colors.

Except, wait… 

Bucky paused. A school of fish were gathered ahead of him, swimming around a patch of bright green seaweed. A _very_ bright patch of seaweed. In fact, it seemed to be glowing…

Bucky swam closer, noticing that the school of fish didn’t seem to be swimming so much as swarming. They frantically swam around in a large circle, surrounding something in the middle of the seaweed. Bucky could see a hint of pale skin through the gaps of fluttering scales. 

His shoulders were aching with how tense he was. He glanced around quickly for anything he could use as a weapon. He had left his trident back in his cave, not that he needed it, he was very capable of fighting with just his hands and tail. But if The War taught him anything, it was that a weapon is always an advantage. 

He grabbed a rock with a sharp edge from nearby. Better than nothing if whatever was in there would attack. Creeping even closer, the fish started moving faster. Almost like a shield to whatever was inside. Never, in all his years, had never seen fish act this way and that made his tail twitch in apprehension. 

“Hello?” His voice came out steady. Whatever was in the school of fish didn’t answer. 

He was almost touching the fish now. The fact that they hadn’t dispersed when he got close enough, set off all sorts of alarms in his head. This wasn’t normal. 

He gently reached out to ease some of the fish away. Inside he saw…

The most beautiful man he’d ever seen. 

He was thin but somehow gave off the air of being strong, even as he lay unconscious. No clothing covered his body which wasn’t unusual. Many beings preferred to forgo clothing. Blue markings wove up his arms and legs in a swirling pattern almost like water. It contrasted beautifully against his pale skin. The lines wove themselves toward the center of his chest, where his heart would be, and came together in a beautiful explosion of blue. It almost seemed to be moving when Bucky stared at it, like something he would see out of the corner of his eye. The more he focused, he knew it was stationary, but could have sworn it was moving. Bucky found himself wanting to trace the lines with his fingers. 

The mans blonde hair waved softly in the oceans current, brushing against his closed eyelids. His high cheekbones and soft lips added to his beauty. He looked almost delicate- then again, he was unconscious. Bucky couldn’t tear his eyes away from this enchanting being even if he wanted to. He felt drawn to him. 

The man was curled up on the glowing patch of seaweed. Huddled in on himself as if for protection. Small tendrils of the plant clung to his body, keeping him still as the water moved about him. Small cuts and bruises covered his body and there was a massive red bump on his forehead. One bruise looked particularly nasty on his left side, blooming in a deep blue and purple that looked so painful it made Bucky hurt in sympathy. 

Bucky found himself reaching for the man without a second thought, he couldn’t help himself. His fingers grazed the bump on his head and the man flinched. Gorgeous blue eyes fluttered open looking almost hazy before shutting again.

“Are you okay?” The man stayed silent and still. Bucky tried gently pushing him, but the man just rocked gently side to side as a result. “Hello?” No response. He really was out of it. 

Bucky looked around again, maybe there was some sort of clue that would explain what happened and what this man was doing here. Besides the fish that still swarmed this man and the glowing seaweed, nothing looked out of the ordinary. 

As a merman, Bucky could communicate with fish, but not necessarily in a normal way. He could send out vibrations in the water to encourage fish to do certain things, but as far as actually talking to them, no. Not possible. So that was no help.

And the glowing seaweed… he had no fucking idea. What the hell would cause that? He’s never seen anything like it. 

Bucky looked around again, at a loss for what to do. He couldn’t just leave him there. Some other creature could come along that was more concerned about lunch than the wellbeing of an unconscious man. The only thing he could think to do was take him back to his cave, that way he would at least be sheltered. And if he tried attacking Bucky... well, he knew how to handle himself. 

He swam closer, almost brushing their chests together, as he tried to slide his arm under the man’s head. However, as soon as their skin came in contact, he felt something bump into him. Several somethings, in fact. He looked to see several fish bumping into him, trying to push him back. Several even snapped at him as if trying to bite him. 

They were trying to _protect_ the man. 

Once again, Bucky had never seen anything like it. He had used fish to help him fight before, but that was through his powers of manipulation as a merman. This man was _unconscious_. Who the heck was he?

Bucky sent vibrations through the water, telling the fish to back off. They did so a bit reluctantly, not wanting to leave the man’s side. He tried to communicate that he meant no harm, but wasn’t sure if it came across clearly. His connection with sea life was more to give orders, not convey emotions or thoughts. 

With the fish giving him distance, he gently pried away the seaweed and lifted the man carefully, cradling him to his chest. He really was beautiful. Bucky shook his head, trying to clear it. Not the right time for those kind of thoughts. 

Below him, the glow of the seaweed started to fade, turning into its normal dark green. Huh. Interesting. Testing his theory, Bucky lowered the man slightly and as he got closer to the plant, it started to glow again. Just who was this guy? 

Bucky turned with the man in his arms and headed to the entrance of his cave. He placed him on his own bed, just a simple patch of soft sand that he had brought from the ocean floor, cushioned by algae. The man didn’t stir at all as Bucky laid him down, steadying his head so it wouldn’t roll around. Bucky brushed the man's cheek with the tips of his fingers, lightly tracing a blue line that wove from his temple, down to his neck. His skin was so soft, and there was something about this man that was so alluring. 

When Bucky realized what he was doing, he snapped his hand away quickly. What in Poseidon's name was he doing? This poor man was _unconscious_. Geez.

Sighing, Bucky went to gather some medicinal herbs. He would need to make a paste to put on the man’s injuries. Being underwater meant that his blood wouldn’t clot to stop the bleeding like it would above the surface. But a simple paste would solve that problem. 

As for the large bump on his head, well… Bucky would just have to wait and see when the man woke up. There wasn’t much he could do to help there except hope for the best.


	3. Chapter 3

Steve’s head was killing him. That was the first thing he became aware of as he slowly emerged from darkness. He groaned, reaching up toward his head but stopped short as a sharp pain exploded from his left side. He gasped as he clutched his ribs instead. 

“Be careful. Don’t move around too quickly.”

Steve’s eyes shot open at the sound of the deep voice. All grogginess and pain were pushed to the back of him mind as he remembered the fairy and her _pet_. He was on high alert as he ignored the voice’s advice and sat up with so much force that he floated off the ground. 

His eyes darted around, looking for any sign of threat and instantly fell on a merman floating just on the other side of the room. 

“Who are you?” His voice came out a little distorted. It always took a minute to get the hang of talking underwater. Even with the change in environment though, Steve was still very much on edge. 

“You can call me Bucky. Nice to meet you.” For a moment Steve thought he would answer the same way the fairy had when he asked her the same question. 

Steve eyed him critically. The merman held his hands out as if showing Steve he meant no harm. His long brown hair floated elegantly around his head, framing it to almost look like a crown. Sea blue eyes looked back at Steve, waiting patiently for him to respond. Steve couldn’t help but let his eyes trail down to the man's chest. He looked like he was carved from stone. His solid muscles were straining against his skin. His abs were… unreal- Steve couldn't think of another word to describe them. His waist tapered off into bright red scales that shimmered in the light. His tail was long and elegant as it slightly swayed behind him. He was gorgeous. 

But that didn’t mean he was an ally. 

Steve glared at him from where he sat. “Where am I?”

The merman- Bucky- gave him a patient smile, “You’re in my home. I found you passed out just beyond my garden, toward the shore.”

Steve looked around, noticing the soft patch of sand he was resting on- the merman’s bed he realized, some small decorations set about to make the cave less imposing, and there was even a small table made of stones toward the back of the cave. It wasn’t a large space by any means, just a small little nook, but a single merman wouldn’t need more than that anyway. Looking out the cave entrance, Steve could see why he would choose this spot for his home. The view was breathtaking. Vibrant colors of coral surrounded the area, all sorts of sea life swam about, as the sunlight streaked through the waves. Steve had never seen anything like it. 

Now that he was more aware, Steve could feel the salt in the water around him. His eyes stung slightly from the change. He could feel the difference in buoyancy throughout his body. It was very subtle, but it was there. The water slightly swayed around him as if excited he was awake. He could feel the gentle motion of the waves and currents all around him, the new water making itself known to him. 

“Is this- am I… Are we in the ocean?”

The merman’s forehead creased a little, “Yes. Are you not from here?”

“...no.” Steve couldn’t bear to say anymore. Thinking of his home was too much. The pain was too fresh. He looked up to see the merman looking almost concerned. Something about him made Steve calm down a little. He didn’t seem like he was after Steve, he honestly seemed like he wanted to help. 

“Can you tell me your name?” Bucky still looked worried. 

“Steve,” he avoided looking the merman directly in the eye.

“Good. That’s good.” He swam slightly closer, “You’ve got quite the bump there. Can you remember what happened?”

Steve ignored the question. “Are you with them?” 

He didn’t think this merman would hurt him. For some reason, he felt like he could trust him, but he still had to be careful.

“With who?” Bucky looked genuinely confused. 

Steve watched him carefully from the corner of his eye. “The fairy.”

Bucky’s eyebrows shot up. “A fairy did this to you?”

“Do you want my powers too?” 

“Woah pal, I don’t know what you’re talking about here. Are you sure your head is okay?” Bucky held his hands up again, almost in a gesture of peace. 

His concern looked so genuine. Steve really wanted to trust him, to believe he wouldn’t hurt him. “My head’s fine. Hurts, but otherwise fine.”

“How about your side there? That's a nasty looking bruise.” Bucky swam a little closer. 

Steve narrowed his eyes at him and Bucky stopped. He wasn’t comfortable being that close to him yet. “I’m fine.”

“Mind if I take a look? I already put some medicine on your cuts to help them stop bleeding.”

Looking down at his arms, Steve noticed a white goopy substance that covered his small cuts from all the foliage in the forest. The water didn’t seem to wash it away, and now that he focused, it felt almost cooling. “Thank you…” Steve eyed him cautiously, “Why did you help me?”

Bucky shrugged, “Because you needed help. I wasn’t gonna just leave ya there.”

Steve felt something in his chest loosen at this. Maybe he really could trust this merman. 

“Want me to take a look at your side?” Bucky gestured toward him again.

“That’s okay. The water will heal me.”

Bucky looked confused again at this, “What?”

“The water. It’ll heal me.” When Bucky still didn’t seem to understand, Steve elaborated, “I’m a water nymph. I take care of the water and the water takes care of me.”

Bucky blinked at him a few times. “You’re… a water nymph?” He seemed a little shocked. 

“Yes? Is that a problem?” Steve felt his power tingling under his skin, ready to defend himself if he needed to. 

“No! No, not at all,” Steve jumped a little at how quickly Bucky responded. “I just… There aren’t many water nymphs left. They’re basically a legend… Here in the ocean at least.”

“Really?” Steve didn’t know much about the ocean, just some stories that he had heard from his mom. “Well, I’m a freshwater nymph… from a lake…” he trailed off as thoughts of his family and his lost home krept back into his mind. 

Bucky nodded a few times, his long hair flowing around him, “So, what are you doing here in the ocean?” He seemed almost tentative when he asked. 

“I… It’s a long story,” Steve felt a wave of exhaustion sweep over him. He didn’t know what he was going to do now. He had nowhere to go. No family. No home. And it was his fault. 

“Right. Well…” Bucky trailed off, looking like he didn’t quite know what to say. 

“I should go. Thank you for helping me. Sorry if I imposed in any way,” Steve pushed himself off the bed to start swimming toward the cave opening, his side twinging in pain.

“Hey, hold on there, pal. You’re still injured. You need to rest,” Bucky swam to block Steve’s path. Steve bristled at this and prepared himself for a fight. Maybe this was a trap. “Whoa, hey,” Bucky backed away at the hostile look on Steve’s face, “I just meant that you’re welcome to stay. You can leave if you really want to. I’m not gonna stop you. But I don’t think you’re in any condition to go out there on your own. Especially if you’re not from around here.”

He was right. Steve had no idea where he would go. He had no idea where he even was. The ocean was kind of a huge place. He had no idea how things worked here. Were things really that different from his lake? Just a glance out of the cave told him that, yes, things were different here. He didn’t recognize half of the creatures that swam by. 

And he was so tired. He wanted to sleep until he woke up and realized all of this was some terrible nightmare. 

“You don’t mind?” Steve was still a little apprehensive about staying, but what choice did he really have?

Bucky looked relieved, “No, of course not. It’s not much, but make yourself at home. You hungry? I can get you something.”

“I think I’m just going to sleep some more, if that’s okay. I’ll be out of your hair soon.” Steve made his way slowly back toward the bed. He paused when he realized what he was doing. “Is there somewhere else to sleep…? I don’t want to take your only bed.”

Bucky was already shaking his head when he turned back to him, “Don’t worry about it. I’ll manage.”

Steve was too tired to argue. He just wanted to close his eyes and drift off to a place where he didn’t have to think about everything that had happened. He lowered himself onto the bed and immediately felt the darkness claim him.


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is the darkest chapter, by far.
> 
> TW for blood and mention of organs.   
> Minor character death

Something was wrong. Steve could feel it in the air like a rough rock being scraped across his skin. He looked around, taking in all the gorgeous greenery and lively animals that didn’t seem to be having the same feeling he was. Couldn’t they feel it? Something in the very air was twisting his insides like a whirlpool. 

Steve snapped around and started sprinting toward his home. He didn’t know why exactly- he just knew he had to get to the grove. He had been patrolling the surrounding forest, one of his many jobs, to help ensure the safety of all who lived in their little community, but he had to abandon his post. Between one breath and the next everything had felt wrong. Like someone watching him from the shadows, like someone wrapping their hands around his throat to cut off any chance of air, like someone taking all of his water away and watching him wither away. All of the worst feelings Steve could possibly imagine, rolled into one horrible ache in his being. 

A scream pierced the air and chills ran down his body. It sounded like someone being torn apart, unable to feel anything but complete agony. Steve ran faster. 

He could feel the water around him, small puddles on the forest floor to drops of dew from the previous nights rain. The water was reaching for him, trying to comfort him, but there was something else… like it was vibrating in warning. Trying to make him turn back. But he couldn’t. The scream had come from the grove, from his home. 

The closer he got, the more screams he could hear. Shrieks of horror, crying, begging… a whole symphony of pain. He didn’t even feel the tears streaming down his face as he ran.

Blood. He could smell it. The tangy copper odor ambushed his senses, making him choke on his next breath. He burst through the line of trees only to feel his whole body yank itself back in horror to the sight that greeted him. 

Blood. So much blood. 

Bodies. People torn apart and left lying on the forest floor like grisly decorations. Their eyes glazed over and unseeing, their mouths open in an eternal scream. His neighbors, his friends, lying in pools of their own blood. 

Steve immediately felt his insides contract as he fell to his knees and spit up bile. 

He forced himself to look up again. He had to find his mother, get her out of here. There was no sign of what did this. Steve scanned the area for any sign of threat, but all he saw was gore and carnage. A few were still alive, but almost everyone was dead. 

Over to his right, an elf was desperately crying over her husband's body. “It’s okay; you’re okay,” she repeated over and over, her hands slipped on his organs as she desperately tried to put them back in his body. She was shaking all over, but her voice was calm and it pained Steve to hear it. Her husband's’ eyes stared unseeing at the sky above them. 

Steve numbly got to his feet again and stumbled around the bodies, his ears ringing like alarm bells. He had to get to his mother. He had to know if she was okay. 

Steve willed himself not to think about what he felt under his feet as he moved toward the lake where he and his mother had lived his whole life. He felt himself stop short when he saw the water. It was red, polluted with blood. A gurgled cry escaped his lips as more tears streamed from his eyes. How did this happen?

“Steve…” a faint voice reached his ears. He immediately turned toward it, finding his mother laying on her side a little way from the shore. 

“Mom!” He ran toward her and instantly fell to her side, “Are you okay? What happened? What-”  
He immediately cut off as he saw her hand grasped over her side, blood steadily leaking from between her fingers. “We have to get you into the water. It’ll heal you. You’ll be okay, mom, you’ll be okay,” he placed his own fingers over hers and let some water flow into her wound willing the water to take care of her. He didn’t notice he was crying again until she reached up with her other hand and wiped away his tears. 

“It’s too late for me, honey. The water can only do so much,” her voice came out raspy and way too quiet for Steve’s liking. She moved her hand from his face to cover his hand on her wound. “Listen to me, Steve. You have to go, you have to run. They’ll be back soon.”

“Wha-Who? Who did this?” Steve felt a numbness settle into his bones at his mother's words. It wasn’t too late- it couldn’t be. That wasn’t even a possibility. He pushed with his powers, feeling more water pour into her wound. But… the bleeding wasn’t slowing. His mother was growing paler by the second. 

“Honey, look at me,” Steve’s eyes snapped to her face. “I love you. So much, darling. But there’s no time, you have to-” Her words cut off as a shriek pierced the air. It wasn’t one of pain or sorrow, though. No, this one sent fear through Steve’s whole body. “They’re coming back. Steve. You have to run,” her voice was growing weaker and weaker. 

“I’m not leaving you,” Steve could feel the life draining from her- could see her fading away. He frantically looked around for something that could help, something that could fix this. He had to do something. He couldn’t be as helpless as he felt, there had to be something, anything that he could do. 

“There’s nothing to be done, honey,” Steve blinked as he realized he must have been saying his thoughts aloud. “You have to go. For me. Please.” 

The forest rumbled around them as whatever it was that made the screech drew closer to them. Steve looked up to see the water of the lake rippling along its surface, warning Steve to run. He wiped more tears away as he looked around for a branch, a cloth, anything that he could use to drag his mom behind him, to get her away from this place. If he had to go, he was taking her with him, dammit. And once she was safe, he would tend to her wounds. It would be fine. Everything would be fine. 

Steve released a shaky breath as he saw an old branch that just might work. It had plenty of leaves left on it and looked fairly sturdy. It wouldn’t be the most comfortable thing, but it’s all he had. He just had to lay his mom on it and run with her in tow. Easy.

He looked back down at his mother and let out a strangled sob. Her hand lay limply over her side, where the blood had stopped seeping from between her fingers. Her head lay to the side, her eyes wide open and glazed. Her chest was unnaturally still and her skin was disturbingly white. Steve raised a shaky hand, gently touching his mothers neck. No pulse. She was gone. 

Steve woke up crying. He could feel his tears blending into the ocean.


	5. Chapter 5

Bucky made himself busy while Steve slept in his bed. He felt beyond awkward when he realized he was just staring at him. So he mentally berated himself and set about doing more chores. It was early afternoon still, so there was plenty to do. 

He swam just outside his little cave to tend to his coral reef. He gathered some sea urchins for his stores. They were great to use for medicinal purposes, but also delicious when eaten right out of their spikey shell. Maybe Steve would like sea urchins… he probably had never tried any, coming from freshwater. How did he end up here? 

Bucky found himself thinking about the water nymph almost to the point of obsession. What happened to him? Just from their short conversation, Bucky had very little answers and what felt like hundreds more questions. And that look in his eyes when he just mentioned his home… Bucky had seen that look many times throughout The War. A profound sadness that sprang from the deepest, most gut wrenching loss. He looked haunted, like everything in the world had lost its light, its meaning. 

Bucky couldn’t help but think that he was still the most beautiful thing he had ever seen, even with that haunted look and his body covered in cuts and bruises. It made him wonder what he would look like if he smiled. If he was truly happy, and joy shown out through his eyes… and if that smile was directed at Bucky. 

He shook himself. Not appropriate thoughts. The poor guy had been through something obviously traumatic and needed help. Not someone fawning over him while he was unconscious. Get it together. 

Bucky continued to gather ingredients for his stores, focusing on gathering some barnacles next. He was always careful to only take the small amount he needed and he never fished for food on his reef. He always went a little down the coast for food. His coral depended on the fish living there and vice versa. Scaring them away just wouldn’t do. 

Glancing back at the entrance to his cave, Bucky wondered if he maybe had enough time to run over and see Nat for that repellent and possibly hunt for some food so he’d have something ready whenever Steve woke up. But what if he woke up while Bucky was gone? He had no doubt that Steve would leave and he’d most likely never see the water nymph again. For some reason, Bucky couldn’t stand the idea of that happening. No, he’d stay close by for now. For protection, of course. He had to make sure the injured nymph would be okay. 

Swimming back to his cave, arms full with his selection, Bucky tried to move slowly so as not to disturb the water too much and wake Steve. He carefully set his small gathering into a little net he had toward the mouth of the cave just for that purpose. Steve had his back turned toward him, but seemed to still be asleep. Bucky carefully swam out again to go check on his garden and see what he could do about his seagrass. 

When he returned several hours later, Steve still had his back toward the cave entrance. He hadn’t moved at all it seemed. Bucky swam a little closer hoping to catch a glimpse of his sleeping face, but he was awake. Eyes open, just staring at the wall of the cave. How long had he been like that? 

“Steve?”

He didn’t move. Didn’t even blink. Bucky would be more worried if he couldn’t see the water nymphs chest expanding and compressing with each intake of water. He swam a little closer, noticing the pressure in the water around him rising ever so slightly. Was Steve doing that? 

“Steve? Are you okay?” Bucky watched him carefully for any reaction as he slowly started to reach out to him. 

Steve’s eyes snapped to him and he immediately stopped. His eyes were slightly red and puffy. If they were above water Bucky was positive that he would have seen tears falling from his eyes. Bucky felt his heart break a little at the thought. 

Even though he was now staring at Bucky instead of the wall, Steve’s eyes remained vacant, like he was seeing something other than his surroundings. Probably reliving some terrible memory- Bucky knew the feeling all too well. He had been lost in his own terrible thoughts before and he never wanted to fall in that hole again. 

He slowly swam closer and settled himself in to float in front of Steve. Then he started talking. About anything. Everything. His life here. The ocean, the coral reef, his garden… he’s no stranger to flashbacks. Natasha had helped him in the same way more times than he cared to admit. It helps to have a constant voice to guide someone out of their own head. 

Slowly, Steve’s eyes began to focus on Bucky. “... it’s growing well but now I think some turtles are munching on it. Actually, I think it’s one specific turtle. I don’t know why, it’s just a feeling. And I think he’s doing it just to mess with me honestly. I swear, one time I caught him in the act and it felt like he was laughing at me as he swam away. I need to go see my friend, Nat- she lives not too far from here. She’s awesome, I’m sure you’d like her. Well… maybe. She can be… abrasive. Anyway, I need to go see her for some repellent.” He had no idea how long he had been babbling. 

“Don’t get repellant.” Steve was actually looking at him now. Bucky wasn’t sure how long he had actually been listening but he felt a smile growing on his face in response to having his attention. 

“Hey. Welcome back.” He smiled softly at the water nymph. Steve stared at Bucky for a while, studying him. Bucky started to squirm, a little uncomfortable under the scrutiny. “Why shouldn’t I get repellant?” 

“Where I come from… if you have the means to help others, then you should.” Steve’s eyes drifted to somewhere over Bucky’s shoulder. His eyes started to get that faraway look again. 

Bucky was eager to keep him talking, “I don’t know what happened but… if you wanted to talk about it, I’m a great listener.” 

Steve’s eyes drifted back over to look at him. He stared at him for a while, barely even blinking. Just as Bucky was about to apologize and leave him in peace, Steve asked, “Is there anything to eat?”

“Yeah! Yes,” he may have answered a bit too enthusiastically if Steve’s responding flinch was any indication. He couldn’t help it, he found himself wanting to help this beautiful man in any way he could. “I’ll go catch something for you. Is fish okay? Maybe some oysters?”

“What are oysters?” Steve’s brow scrunched up adorably.

“Umm, they're in a shell? Kind of slimy on the inside?” At Steve’s continued confused expression Bucky decided to change tactics. “Or maybe some kelp if you’re more in the mood for plants?”

“I can find something myself I’m sure. You’ve already done so much.” Steve started to push away from the bed. Bucky didn’t miss the wince he made.

“No, really, it’s no problem. I’ll can get you something. You need to be resting until you’re healed anyway.” Steve didn’t stop in his efforts to get up. “Didn’t you just say that if I have the means to help others, I should?” That did it. Steve stopped and looked up at Bucky. “That should include you. Let me help you.”

Bucky watched as the water around Steve seemed to swirl in little circles, caressing his skin. He eyed Bucky with uncertainty then all at once, his shoulders sagged and the water around him calmed. He nodded slightly, albeit reluctantly. “At least let me help.”

“Maybe when you can move without being in pain, pal. You need more rest.”

“I’m fine,” Steve held his head up, sticking his chin out slightly. 

Bucky had the urge to roll his eyes, “Yeah, yeah, I’m not buying it. I saw that wince when you sat up. Now lay back down and I’ll be right back with some food and I’ll make you something for the pain.” Bucky made his way toward the cave opening, determined not to give Steve enough time to argue. 

Just as he was leaving he heard a very quiet, “Thank you.” He couldn’t help the smile that tugged at his lips.


	6. Chapter 6

Steve let his body drift through the water until he was laying on the bed again. The water curled around him, trying to comfort him as he tried to do what Bucky said and rest. He couldn’t close his eyes again though, as soon as he tried he was assaulted with images of his dream. 

Instead, Steve watched the world right outside the cave. He had never seen so many colors, it was breathtaking. All kinds of fish he had never seen before swam around, weaving in and out of vibrant looking plants. Most of the plants, however, didn’t seem to sway with the current. They seemed to be almost… hard. His mother had told him of coral before, but seeing it in person was completely different. It was so beautiful. 

She would have loved to see this. The thought was like a wave hitting him in the gut. Steve felt his eyes burning with tears again at the thought. She was gone. His home was gone. 

His sorrow soon turned to anger as he thought of the woodland fairy. The reason for everything that had happened. Just who was she? And how long before they found him again? Steve knew it was only a matter of time before they came for him here. After all, he was apparently the whole reason all of this happened. As soon as he was healed up, he would leave. He had to unless he wanted to endanger Bucky and his life here. He would leave now, but the merman was right, he needed to get himself fixed up first. 

As he watched the world outside, Steve came to a decision. He was never one to sit by idly. If the woodland fairy and her pet wanted him so badly, then fine. He would find them. He would make them pay for what they did.

They would regret ever crossing paths with him. Steve felt his anger and frustration boil beneath his skin, the water around him bubbled slightly showing its own anger. Steve reached out to soothe the water, feeling it caress his skin in return. As easy as it would be to let his emotions take over and just go after them, Steve knew better. He needed to be smart about this. In the grove, he was known for his cleverness and he would use his cunning to his advantage. 

Steve stared at the world just outside the cave as a plan formed in his mind. 

He lost track of time, and before he knew it Bucky was back with a little net full of fish and little hard shells which Steve figures must be oysters. 

“Alright, I wasn’t sure what you’d want so I got a variety,” Bucky swam over to the bed, holding the net out like an offering. 

“Uhh, thanks,” Steve sat up eyeing the creatures suspiciously. “So, how do I eat these exactly?” Steve poked the must-be-oyster through the net. 

“Here, I’ll show you,” Bucky reached into the net, pulling the creature out. He took a sharp, flat rock and inserted it into the groove running through the center. He twisted it until it popped open the pushed the rock further in, cutting the meat free inside. “Here, try it,” Bucky held out the shell with a smile. 

Steve took it carefully and stared at the merman for a second. He was so kind, so giving. Here was Steve, a complete stranger, and Bucky took him in without hesitation. Treated his injuries, gave him _his own bed_ , and is now feeding him. Not to mention he was beyond attractive. He was one of the most beautiful things Steve had ever seen, and if he didn’t feel like his soul was being crushed with grief, he would have been all over the merman. 

He snapped his eyes down to look at the oyster in his hands before Bucky thought he was strange for staring too long. He poked the squishy flesh with his finger for a distraction more than anything. 

“You just kind of slurp it out of the shell.”

Steve looked up at Bucky, confusion on his face. “You slurp it?” Bucky nodded, eyes alight with amusement. 

Steve brought the shell to his lips, thinking this would be easier above water, but whatever. He slurped the meat off the shell like Bucky told him to, getting a mouth full of saltwater as well. It was slimy. So slimy. And chewy. 

Steve felt his face scrunch up in disgust. “Don’t chew it so much, just swallow,” Bucky was outright giggling now at Steve’s reaction. 

Steve did as instructed and swallowed the awful, slimy goop down. “Ugh!” Steve couldn’t hold back a shiver as he stuck his tongue out. The water around him seemed to sweep away from him before rushing back, almost as if it was disgusted on his behalf. 

Bucky was outright laughing now. “They’re not for everyone.” His arm wrapped around his muscled stomach, trying to get his laughter under control. 

Steve couldn’t help the little chuckle that escaped his lips as well. Bucky’s laugh was beautiful. It was infectious, wrapping around Steve and seeping into his very bones, lifting his grief for the briefest second before guilt rushed in again. 

Even after all the horror that had happened in just the past day, Steve felt like Bucky was here to remind him that the world still had some good in it. Someone who selflessly helped others and laughed like that had to be good. 

Steve looked at Bucky with a straight face before saying, “That was the nastiest shit I’ve ever eaten.”

Bucky burst out laughing again and Steve cracked a smile. He felt his insides pull a little when he thought about how he may not deserve this little second of happiness. Not when his mother lay dead and his home was destroyed. His smile slipped away quickly enough after that. 

“Aww, Stevie, no need to be like that,” Bucky reached into the net to pull out an oyster for himself. He grinned at Steve as he started opening it and winked right before he slurped it down. Steve felt his cheeks warm slightly. How did he manage to make something so disgusting look sexy? That just shouldn't be possible. 

Steve went with a fish instead for dinner. This was more to his liking than the oysters, even though it tasted slightly different from his freshwater fish, it was still delicious. 

Once they had both eaten and the net was empty, Steve yawned, feeling exhaustion creep over him again. 

“Let me make you something real quick for the pain and then you need to get more rest,” without letting Steve argue, Bucky swam over to his little table made of rocks and started picking little plants out of small containers that seemed anchored to the table so they wouldn’t float around. 

Steve used the water to push himself up off the bed. He couldn’t take Bucky's bed any longer, he would need it for himself soon enough. Now that he was a bit stronger, he could make his own bed. 

Steve’s power rushed from him, the water swirling around him as he concentrated. The small area in front of him slowly started to glow, green patches of seaweed started sprouting from the rock itself, reaching up and swaying in the current. His powers thrummed in happiness at being used as the seaweed gently swayed toward him as if reaching for him. To top it off, Steve added some algae as well figuring it would make for a good cushion. 

Using his powers was always therapeutic. They seemed to build and build within him when he wasn’t using them, like a lake overflowing. When he finally released them, his whole body sang with euphoria. Everything just felt right. This is what he was meant to do. 

When he was satisfied with his bed, he turned to see Bucky watching him, his mouth open and eyes wide once again.

“Sorry, I should have asked if this was okay. I just figured you’d want your bed back,” Steve felt a little ashamed that his manners seemed to have left him completely. 

“That was amazing. How did you… holy shit,” Bucky was now staring at the newly made bed.

Steve shrugged, “It’s part of my powers. Do you mind if I…?” Steve let the sentence trail off, unsure how to ask if he had just overstepped some sort of boundary. 

“No, not at all,” Bucky still seemed a bit stunned as he floated next to the table. After staring at each other for a few awkward moments, he cleared his throat and turned back to the table to finish what he was making for Steve. 

Steve reached out to touch his new bed, feeling the soft plant caress his hand back. He had been the only water nymph back at the grove who was also able to control underwater plants. In fact, he could use his power for pretty much anything pertaining to water, including creatures. This always got him more responsibilities when it came to helping the community, but Steve didn’t mind in the slightest. Because he had more powers than the others, he always thought he should be doing more. He was more than happy to help out when he could. A lot of good it did in the end…

Bucky broke his train of thought when he swam over with another paste. “Now, it won’t taste amazing, but eat this and it’ll help with the pain.” 

Steve eyed the green mush warily. “Is this going to be like the oysters?”

Bucky chuckled as he held the paste out. “It’ll help I promise.”

Steve swallowed the mixture as quickly as possible. “Still not as bad as the oysters.” 

Bucky cracked up laughing. “Oh, Stevie. You’re kind of a punk aren’t you?” 

He had such a beautiful smile, Steve couldn’t help but crack a little one in return. 

“Whatever, jerk,” Steve’s guilt lifted for a brief second as Bucky smiled like the sun.


	7. Chapter 7

Bucky could tell it was difficult for Steve to fall asleep that night. He was restless, shifting around, sending waves through the cave with his movements. The very water around Bucky seemed to be tense. He’d never experienced such a shift in the ocean around him- he knew it must be Steve. He had seen some of his powers already, it wasn’t exactly a stretch to think that he would be influencing the water even now. 

Just thinking about what he saw earlier that day, Bucky was completely in awe. Steve was… phenomenal. He was able to do things that Bucky had never seen before, sure, but he was also so graceful when doing it. It was like watching a dance even though Steve himself hardly moved at all. It was the water around him, it swirled and swayed around the nymph as if it was an extension of him. The blue lines along his fair skin seemed to dance with it, mirroring the dance within the nymph himself. It was the most breathtaking thing Bucky had ever seen. 

And there was more than that. Steve was _generous_. Bucky knew he had been through something traumatic, that he was grieving. He could feel it, sense it in the water around them. But even still, Steve was concerned with Bucky having his own bed. He must have still been exhausted but he found the energy to make a bed and make sure that Bucky had his own place to rest. He even rose above his inner turmoil to protect some sea turtles. Here Steve was, in this unfamiliar place, with a complete stranger as a companion and he still did what he could to help others. 

Bucky had only known him for a day and he was already taken with him. 

He couldn’t explain it, but he felt this insistent need to protect the nymph. Of course, the little guy seemed more than capable of protecting himself, but Bucky still felt the need to stay close to him. He didn’t think he would ever find a reason to fight again honestly, not since The War, but he could see himself easily fighting for Steve. 

_I barely know the guy. Geez_. Bucky felt insane for how quickly he had become attached but there was no denying it: he was drawn to Steve. And he didn’t even want to fight it. It might be crazy, but Bucky honestly didn’t care. Stranger things had happened. 

A soft sound came from the other side of the cave where Steve’s bed was. Bucky looked over to see Steve’s eyes open, staring at the ceiling. He watched him for a minute trying to figure out if he was having another flashback. 

“You can’t sleep either?” Steve’s soft voice surprised Bucky. 

“Not really. It was an eventful day.”

Steve gave a short bitter laugh. “Yeah, it really was.”

Bucky shifted a little uncomfortable in the silence that followed. He didn’t want to push Steve for details on what he went though, not before he was ready to give them, but that also left him with no idea on how to comfort him. 

Steve broke the silence after a moment, “Would you tell me a story?”

“A story?” 

“Yeah… I just- I need to think about something else. Anything else.” Steve sounded sad and Bucky was more than happy to comply if it would help the nymph. Bucky would gladly be a distraction, even if he didn’t know exactly what it was he was distracting him from. 

“Sure thing, pal. Let’s see… there was that one time a buddy of mine tried to wear an octopus as a hat.” Bucky smiled at the memory. 

“What’s an octopus?” 

Oh, right. Steve wasn’t from the ocean. How exactly do you explain that? “It’s a creature we have here in the ocean. It’s got tentacles, eight of them actually, and is super flexible. It can fit into little crevices and fold itself in all sorts of crazy, unimaginable ways. It can also blend into its environment, camouflage, ya know? I’ll have to show you one, they’re pretty cool.”

“Why did he try to wear one as a hat? Doesn’t sound like a very good plan.”

Bucky let out a bark of laughter. “No, it wasn’t. It was during The War, he was saying that our cluster could use an octopuses camouflage to sneak past the enemy lines. Cover ourselves with them and nobody would see us. It’s probably important to mention that he was a bit wasted on mergrass. Anyway, I looked at him with a straight face and told him it was a foolproof plan and he should demonstrate it for us. Watching him try to catch the thing was one of the most entertaining things I’ve ever seen in my life. Me and the others were practically floating away from laughing so hard. I mean, he’s a damn merman, he could have ordered the thing to come to him, but he was so wasted the thought never crossed his mind. Anyway, once he’d caught the thing, he plopped it onto his head, absolutely convinced that it would work. Well, the damn thing attached itself to his face, of course. He swam around, yelling, throwing his arms everywhere. It took me and two other guys to pull it off. He had suction cup marks for a few days afterward.” Bucky chuckled, looking over to see Steve smiling softly at the ceiling. 

“Doesn’t sound like the brightest guy.”

Bucky laughed softly thinking of his old cluster mate. “No, not exactly. His nickname was actually Dum Dum.”

“Seems fitting.” Steve turned to his side so he was looking at Bucky. “You were in a war? Is that how you knew what to do earlier? When I was- when I spaced out?”

“Yeah. My friend calls them flashbacks. You get trapped in your own thoughts, in your own head, reliving something in your past. Usually something deeply traumatic. My friend would talk to me, help guide me out of my own head like I did with you.” 

Steve nodded, eyes focused just above Bucky’s shoulder. “Thank you,” Steve’s voice just above a whisper. 

“Anytime.” It should surprise Bucky how genuinely he meant it, but it didn’t. He’d be glad to help Steve anytime. 

“When was the war?”

Bucky was a little startled at the abrupt change of subject. “The War? You’ve never heard of it?” Everyone knew of The War. Even the land dwellers that Bucky would occasionally come in contact with. 

Steve shook his head slightly, looking a little sheepish. 

“It was about 150 years ago now.” 

Steve’s gaze swept from the merman’s head to his tail and Bucky felt his cheeks heat slightly in the darkened cave as he hoped that maybe Steve would like what he saw. “You don’t look that old.” Steve snapped his mouth shut. “I-I mean… you don’t seem…”

Bucky smiled, deciding to save Steve from his stammering. “Merpeople have long life spans. A blessing from the gods they say. Wait, aren’t nymphs immortal? Or, at least, according to legend.”

“We are. I’m just not that old. I’m pretty, um, young, by nymph standards.” Steve seemed slightly embarrassed as he shyly looked to the side. 

“You certainly are pretty,” Bucky winked, unable to help himself. The water around him warmed slightly as if it were blushing right along with Steve. 

“So, um, The War. What was it about?” Steve seemed eager to change the subject. Bucky sucked his bottom lip in, his eyes cast down, hoping he hadn’t made Steve uncomfortable. “I’m sorry. You don’t have to talk about it. I mean- I understand if you don’t want to.”

“No, no it’s fine,” Bucky took in a deep breath of water. “There was this creature. Deabru Gorria. Red Skull. Some say he was a demon, others say he was a god consumed with darkness. I don’t know what the hell he was. I just knew what he could do.” Bucky paused to look at Steve. “First it was just a few crazies, going around saying that he would be conqueror of the world and we should all bow down to him. They said he would bring on a new age of obedience and order. Honestly, it was so insane it was easy to brush off, to not take it seriously. At least, until the killings started. Only a few a first and they really didn’t seem related. Most were on land, so we honestly didn’t care too much down here.” Steve’s eyes widened slightly. “Well- no, I mean, we cared, sure, because innocent beings were being killed but it wasn’t really close to us. It was easier to express our sympathies and move on. It didn’t affect us directly. Maybe if we had paid more attention, or did something sooner…” Bucky’s voice trailed off for a minute. 

“Well, anyway. A few killings turned into… a massacre. And not just on land. Here in the water too. It happened quickly. He had more followers than anyone realized. They planned it- to all attack at once. They were in all the major cities or trading centers. Within hours thousands had been killed or captured. It was…” Bucky didn’t realize he had trailed off again, lost in his thoughts until Steve slightly cleared his throat. 

“I’m sorry.”

Bucky shook his head. “You really have never heard about this? I thought everyone knew.”

“No. I never heard about it.” Steve looked a little uncomfortable as he continued, “I’ve never even traveled more than a few hours from my home. Well- not anymore I guess.” Steve’s face started to fall at whatever dark thoughts were emerging in his mind. 

Bucky hurried to keep talking. He was suppose to be a distraction after all. “Well, the elders, the leaders of all the races, came together to stop Deabru Gorria. They joined their armies to stop him. But he was… powerful. He could influence those that came within his reach. Infiltrate their mind and make them do his bidding. Some say he could even control shadows. I suppose that’s why some called him a god of darkness. He had been growing his numbers in secret and he had more followers than anticipated. Festering like a wound before anyone noticed how deeply he had taken root. By the time we all came together to stop him, by the time we took him seriously, so many had already lost their lives.” Bucky had learned to cope with the guilt that ate away at him when he realized that if he had acted sooner, if he had done something, then maybe he could have made a difference. It was still something that ate away at him though. Just looking at Steve’s face, he could see a same sort of guilt gnawing at the little nymph. “It lasted several years. Several bloody years.”

“How did it finally end?” Steve’s eyes were wide, sadness reflecting in the surface. The water around him was unnaturally calm, no waves reaching his corner of the cave almost like the ocean itself was waiting for Bucky to finish his story. 

“It was Poseidon. He was one of the few original elders left at the end. He was my elder- the merpeople’s elder and god of the sea. He pierced Deabru Gorria’s heart with a trident. That’s what they say anyway. He sacrificed himself, got close enough for Deabru Gorria’s shadows to infect his heart, but before the darkness could take him, he stabbed the demon in the chest. Some claim that they could hear the Red Skull’s scream of rage from several lands away. Those that had been under his control regained power of their own mind again. And those that had followed him willingly were captured or killed.” A heavy silence followed Bucky's story. Maybe a tale of death and war wasn’t exactly the best thing to take Steve’s mind off of his troubles.

“Thank you, Bucky. For telling me.” Steve’s voice was quiet and sad. 

“Yeah. Probably should have talked about something more uplifting, huh?”

“No, I’m glad you told me. I did ask, afterall.” Steve rolled onto his back as the seaweed curled around him and stared at the ceiling again. “We should probably get some sleep. Or at least try.”

“Yeah, probably.” Bucky continued staring at his guest, drinking in the sight of him just across the cave. He was so gorgeous. 

The seaweed of Steve’s bed still glowed softly, making his skin look almost green as the light bounced off his fair completion. He could see the blue lines in the nymphs skin dancing softly in the light, tempting Bucky to reach out and feel. Bucky had to force himself not to give into the urge. He quite literally took the merman’s breath away. 

Bucky didn’t think he could turn his head away even if he wanted to. The sheer protectiveness he felt for this little nymph was staggering. He would do whatever he could to help Steve. Now Steve just had to allow him to.


	8. Chapter 8

Steve finally passed out from exhaustion after sitting there in his bed thinking about The War. It was certainly a terrible thing, thousands dying because of the demands of one demon or god or whatever he was, but Steve could easily imagine it after what happened to his own home. 

Something about what Bucky had told him left him with an uneasy feeling. He couldn’t explain it, but his stomach rolled uncomfortably at the thought of Red Skull. 

Steve pushed the feeling away, focusing on his current problem. The woodland fairy and her monsterous pet. As Bucky was talking about The War, Steve couldn’t help but think about how the merman had combat experience, and possibly tactical knowledge when it came to planning an attack. Maybe Bucky could help him…

No. Steve shook the thought away. He wouldn’t endanger anymore lives. So many people had already died. Besides, Bucky wouldn’t risk his life for Steve, he was a complete stranger. He had already done so much for him by taking him and helping him. 

No, once he was better he would leave. With that thought, sleep finally dragged him down for some long needed rest. 

He was surprised when he became aware of light fluttering behind his eyelids, the night having passed without a single dream. He slowly opened his eyes to sunlight streaming through the water, a gorgeous blue reflected around him. The water trembled around him with excitement, moving to embrace him, almost like a hug. Steve blinked a few times rubbing his eyes. The saltwater still took some getting used to. His eyes stung slightly as he looked around. 

Bucky’s bed lay empty and there was no sign of the merman around the cave. Steve used his powers to push himself up off his own bed, the water propelling him forward slightly. His head felt significantly better, the pounding ache gone. He was still slightly dizzy but only when turning his head too quickly. His side, however, still twinged in pain when he moved. The deep purple bruise was starting to lighten a bit, the water speeding up his healing process. He still couldn’t move with the ease he would normally have, but it was only a matter of time. All of his minor cuts and scrapes from the flying debris seemed to have healed already, as well. Steve needed to thank Bucky again for treating them.

As if just the thought of the merman summoned him, Bucky came swimming into the little cave, humming a light tune. He drew up short when he saw Steve up and staring at him. “Hey, um, morning. Or- afternoon. I tried to let you sleep in. I thought you could use it. How are ya feelin?”

“My head is much better. Thank you. I think your pain medicine or whatever helped with that.”

Bucky’s lips split into a wide grin. “No problem. I’m glad I could help.” Bucky swam a little deeper into the cave and Steve noticed the net in his hands. “I’ve got some more oysters if ya want ‘em,” he winked, setting the net down on the little table. 

“Ugh. Why.” Steve could feel his face wrinkle in disgust. The water around him shuddered in revulsion. 

Bucky laughed lightly as he took out a bright green plant instead. “I’m just kiddin, pal. Here. Try some of my kelp. Grew it in my garden,” a little pride seeped into his voice as he held the plant out to Steve. 

Steve gently took the plant from him, bringing it to his lips as he carefully bit into it. The flavor rolled along his tongue, earthy and slightly sweet. “Mmm. This is delicious, Bucky.”

The merman smiled so wide, Steve was sure his cheeks would be hurting. “I’m glad you like it.”

They ate in a comfortable silence, Steve enjoying the kelp and Bucky eating several slimy oysters, sitting side by side on Bucky’s bed. Steve gazed out of the cave, loving the colorful view the ocean had to offer. As he ate, Steve got lost in his thoughts, allowing himself to enjoy the merman’s quiet company. It was comforting really, being able to sit with someone and not feel pressured to talk. 

Feeling eyes on him, Steve glanced over to find the merman staring at him. When their eyes met, Bucky’s head snapped forward, averting his gaze as a slight blush crept up his cheeks. Steve felt heat spreading across his own face at the odd reaction. Maybe he just caught the merman at an awkward time. He mentally shook himself and turned to keep enjoying the view of the coral right outside. 

Just a few moments later, his skin tingled once again, some primal instinct telling him that he was being watched again. Glancing out of the corner of his eye, Steve could see Bucky shyly looking at him again. Surely he wasn’t… There was no way he was attracted to Steve. Bucky was so gorgeous, his muscles rippling under his skin and his hair floating in the water, looking so soft and just begging Steve to run his fingers through it. His gorgeous eyes that reflected the depth of the ocean, set into a face that made Steve want to weep, it was so perfect. He could probably have any merperson- any being that he wanted. Steve found it hard to imagine himself as an object of desire. _But he did flirt with me before… right?_ Steve had initially brushed off the few winks and comments that had been directed at him. He knew that people could be flirts without it meaning anything. He knew several people like that back in the grove.

The thought made him feel like he had been stabbed in the stomach. Here he was, worrying about a merman flirting with him, worrying about his own appearance, when his home lay in ruin. He felt sick. He didn’t have time for something so selfish. He had to focus on avenging his mother and stopping the woodland fairy from ‘tipping the scales’ as she put it. Steve felt his stomach churn as he thought of how he didn’t deserve to be with Bucky, even if he was interested. He failed his friends and neighbors. He failed the grove. He failed his mother. He didn’t deserve much of anything. All he could hope to do is bring those who started all of this to justice. He had to stop them before they killed any others. 

Bucky turned to face Steve fully, bringing him out of his thoughts. “You want to come with me to the garden? Maybe see more of the reef? It might help to get out and see the ocean.”

Steve faced Bucky, studying his expression. He looked… concerned. The merman probably knew where Steve’s own thoughts were headed. Or maybe the water pressure around them alerted him to Steve’s feelings. He forced himself to relax, the water around them seeming to loosen as well, no longer pushing in from all sides. “Sure. Yeah.” 

He couldn’t exactly avenge his home from inside the cave and he needed to see how well he was able to move without pain. Once he was rested, he needed to move on. The longer he was here, the longer he endangered Bucky and he would not see someone else die for him. 

Bucky set the now empty net aside, swimming up from the bed. Steve followed, using the water to propel him forward, his side still aching a little.

If he thought the reef was beautiful from inside the cave, it was nothing compared to swimming among the coral and aquatic life. It was breathtaking, the way everything interacted with each other. Fish swimming in and out of the coral, feeding on little bits of algae and smaller creatures. The coral itself housing countless fish, providing them with food and shelter but also using the fish for its own survival. Steve could feel it, the ebb and flow of life around him, everything depending on each other and seamlessly coming together to make such a wondrous little universe. 

No wonder Bucky made his home here. The very water around Steve felt happy, lifting his mood as it ebbed and flowed, brushing against him in light swirls and caresses. He was surprised to find the corner of his lips lifting up into an almost smile. 

“It’s beautiful, isn’t it?”

Steve turned to find Bucky staring at him intensely. He got the feeling that Bucky was talking about something other than the reef, but he nodded, agreeing anyway. “It’s amazing.” 

They swam over to Bucky's little garden, just beyond the reef toward the shore. Even his patch of kelp and seagrass was beautiful, swaying in the waves as light reflected off the green blades. Steve swam down, running his hand through the cool, soft strands. “Wow, Bucky. This is gorgeous.” He turned to see Bucky smiling with pride as he swam closer. 

He stopped short, however, eyes fixed just over Steve’s shoulder, narrowing in anger. “Back to eat some more of my garden, huh?” 

Steve’s brow furrowed in confusion. He looked behind him to see a sea turtle lurking along the edge of the plants. It was huge compared to any of the turtles he had known in the grove. It locked eyes with Steve and he could feel his powers pulling beneath his skin, wanting to help him. He reached out, curling water around the turtle, bringing him closer. “Hey, little guy. Hungry?”

With his other hand, Steve waved over the sea grass next to him, elongating the stocks, his powers pulling them up taller and taller, as they reached for the turtle. 

The turtle didn’t fight it, as if he could sense Steve’s intentions, he followed the pull until he was right next to him. He happily opened his jaws and started munching on the grass, closing his eyes in pleasure. Steve was stroking the back of his head when he heard Bucky muttering behind him, “Yeah, yeah, acting all cute and shit in front of Steve.”

Steve could feel the turtle’s amusement in the water around him. “He likes you.” 

He glanced up to see Bucky’s eyes widen. 

“Likes me? Sure has a funny way of showing it. Wait, how do you know?” Bucky’s face scrunched up adorably when he was confused. 

“I can feel it. He thinks you’re funny.” The turtle moved his head up and down, almost like a nod. 

“Oh, so eating my garden to make me mad is amusing, huh?” Bucky turned his stern gaze to the turtle. 

The turtle looked up at the merman with his large eyes, and if such a thing were possible Steve would have sworn he was pouting. 

“Fuck, he’s cute,” Bucky murmured to himself. 

“And he’s sorry for eating your grass,” Steve said looking intently at the turtle, “aren’t you?” 

The turtle swam a little toward Bucky, tucking his head under his palm. Steve watched with a slight smile as Bucky began petting the turtle. “I guess sharing my grass with you isn’t such a hardship. And like Stevie said, if I can help others out then I should.” 

Steve felt the water around him warm slightly as he blushed at the nickname. 

Bucky looked up to smile at Steve. “You’re really something else, ya know that?”

“What do you mean?”

“I’ve just never met anyone else like you. And, I don’t know if it’s your cute face or what, but you’re damn persuasive.” 

Steve had to avert his gaze, unsure how to respond to the merman’s flirty personality. 

“Well, of course you’ve never met anyone like me. You’ve never met another water nymph before.” Steve twirled the grass around his fingers, just to give himself something to fiddle with. 

“That’s true, but I still bet you’re one in a million, Stevie,” Bucky had a smirk on his lips. 

Steve needed to change the subject for the sake of the environment around them. If he got any hotter, he could seriously damage some of the plants growing. “So, what else did you want to show me?”

Bucky didn’t seem too surprised by the sudden change of topic. “Well, I’d like to introduce you to my friend, Natasha. But I think we should save that for another day.” The turtle lightly nipped at Bucky’s fingers when he stopped stroking his head. “Okay, okay,” Bucky mumbled, “you’re very demanding, aren’t you?” Steve could feel the turtle’s happiness as Bucky resumed his petting. “We could head up to the coast if you wanted. The sunset is a pretty incredible view when you’re resting on the sand.”

Steve’s side was only a little sore so far. He wanted to see how much further he could go. Afterall, the sooner he was healed, the sooner he could leave. “Sounds like a plan.”


	9. Chapter 9

Bucky couldn’t believe his luck. He was on his way to watch the sunset on the beach with Steve. He’d be lying if he said that he hadn’t planned for such a romantic setting, but he also didn’t know for sure if Steve would agree to come. The merman threw up so many silent _thank you’s_ to the gods that he wouldn’t be surprised if they struck him with lightning just to get him to shut up. 

The swim to the beach wasn’t too far, and the water was calm and pleasant. Bucky couldn’t stop himself from looking over, wanting to see Steve’s long elegant limbs cutting through the water, in what he was certain, would be a beautiful sight. What he saw, however, was even more astonishing. 

Steve wasn’t moving at all. The _water_ was moving him. His blue lines glowed as they raced along his skin in delicate curves and waves, showing the beauty of his powers to anyone who might be fortunate enough to see him. Bucky could see the water behind the nymph, swirling in his wake as he was propelled forward gently but steadily. He was heart-stoppingly beautiful. Bucky was so far gone on this little nymph, he didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. 

So far, Steve had awkwardly side-stepped his flirting attempts, but Bucky wasn’t one to give up so easily. He got the feeling that Steve was unused to that sort of attention, although he had no idea how. Steve was so stunning, surely everyone saw that.

Of course, Bucky was also aware that Steve had been through something traumatic recently. Maybe the water nymph just needed some time to adjust before taking Bucky’s affections seriously. Although he had no idea what could have hurt Steve so much, the merman wanted nothing more than to comfort and protect him. Whenever Steve was ready to confide in him, Bucky would be there. 

And when that time came, if Steve wanted nothing more than friendship, then Bucky would jump through hoops just to be his friend. Even if Bucky wanted more, he would take whatever Steve was willing to give him. There was this feeling, deep in the merman’s soul, like he was meant to find Steve. He was meant to be with him in whatever way he could. 

Bucky was more than willing to appease that feeling. 

They finally neared the beach, the waves crashing over their heads in a steady rhythm. Steve slowed a bit, turning to look at Bucky. His brow wrinkled charmingly when Bucky didn’t slow along with him. 

The merman burst through the surface right behind a wave, taking a big gulp of air. Steve followed shortly, emerging in all of his beautiful grace. Bucky felt his face split into a grin as he swam up to the shallow part of the shore, letting the waves gently carry him. 

He came to rest just on the sand, his tail still mostly submerged in the water, but his chest completely exposed to the air. He sighed deeply as he felt the warm rays of the sun hit his skin, reflecting off the red scales on his tail. It shimmered in the light, looking almost like precious jewels. 

Bucky looked over to see Steve walking out of the shallows, his long slim legs carrying him toward Bucky. His eyes slid down the nymphs body, taking in the beautiful blue lines that marked Steve. He was thin and lean, his hip bones jutting out slightly, just begging Bucky to suck marks into them. Bucky’s eyes trailed even lower, taking in all the beauty that was Steve. He wanted to get his mouth around him, make him scream Bucky’s name. How long would it take before his voice became hoarse with pleasure, Bucky wondered. 

The merman quickly snapped his gaze up to Steve’s face, trying to keep his eyes from lingering on the tempting sight of Steve’s body. His hair was plastered to his forehead, water dripping down onto his smooth chest. His wet eyelashes clumped together, framing his sky blue eyes as a pink tongue slipped out to lick saltwater off his lips. Gods, why did Steve have to be so perfect. 

The nymph folded his legs under him, settling down next to Bucky with a slight wince. 

“You okay?” Bucky couldn’t keep the worry out of his voice. 

“Yeah. Just still tender.” Steve lightly wrapped his arm around his injured side. “Wow, you weren’t kidding. The sunset is beautiful.”

Bucky knew the sunset was gorgeous, pinks and oranges stretched across the sky in a magnificent spectrum of color, fading into purple and deep blue that seemed to reflect the ocean waves below it. He had seen it many times, but nothing compared to the nymph sitting next to him. “Yeah, it is,” he said, without taking his eyes from Steve. 

“My mom would have loved to see this. She always wanted to see the ocean.”

Steve’s face remained impassive, taking in the beauty above them, but Bucky could feel the weight that admission carried. Steve hadn’t said that lightly, and Bucky could feel the sadness that seemed to radiate from his very being. Steve had just trusted him with something precious and Bucky wasn’t about to screw it up. 

“Tell me about her.” It wasn’t a question, but it wasn’t quite a demand either. It was more like a gentle nudge, letting Steve know that if he was willing, Bucky would gladly listen. 

A heartbreaking smile crept onto Steve’s face. “She was fierce and kind. Loving. There was nothing she wouldn’t do to help others.” His eye’s glistened, oranges and pinks reflecting off the tears there. “She wasn’t afraid to let you know when you were wrong either,” Steve laughed sadly, “anytime I had done something stupid, she would be there to bail me out, but not before she wacked me over the head for being an idiot.”

Bucky smiled softly, still watching Steve. “She sounds amazing.”

“She is-” Steve inhaled deeply, “was. She was.” The tears finally spilled over Steve’s eyelashes, streaming down his cheeks. “She was always there for me. Always. And when she needed me most, I-” Steve cut off with a shuddering gasp. 

They sat in relative silence for several moments, Steve letting out pained gasps along with the crashing waves. Bucky wanted so badly to reach out and just wrap the nymph in his arms. He settled for moving slightly closer to him, brushing their arms together in a light touch to remind Steve he wasn’t alone. He wanted to soothe his hurt and take away his pain, but Bucky also knew that this was something Steve would have to work through in his own time. Bucky had been in the same position, after The War, he carried the heavy weight of guilt on his back, ready to collapse under the pressure. If someone came barging in, trying to help, they could easily do more damage than good. It took time. Bucky couldn’t do much at this point except be there for Steve, listen to him and comfort him when he was able. 

“I remember one time when I was just a youngling, I wanted nothing more than to play on the land with the elves and trolls, but young water nymphs can’t breathe air until we’re around fifteen years old.” Steve glanced over to Bucky before looking back at the sunset. “So my mom, she went and gathered all the other younglings in our grove and had them play just on the shore of the lake. Then she used her powers to lift me up, in my own little water bubble, and held me there as I played with the others. It must have been exhausting for her, holding me up for that long, but when I asked her about it, she just kissed my forehead and said, ‘your happiness is the only thing in the world that I need’. She was just that kind of person. She always wanted to make everyone around her happy. She worked longer hours than anyone else in the grove, took patrol shifts and nursing shifts, making sure everyone was okay. She was my best friend, and now she’s gone.”

Bucky felt tears prickling at his own eyes. He could feel the grief in the air around them, the anguish that Steve was feeling. He slowly reached his hand out, gently brushing his fingers against Steve’s own. When he didn’t immediately pull away, Bucky tangled his fingers with the nymphs, his skin singing where it connected with Steve’s. He wasn’t sure if the touch would be welcome, but he had to offer some sort of comfort, some sort of reassurance that he was here for him and words just didn’t seem to be enough.

Steve’s gaze fell to their joined hands, tears gliding down his cheeks, eyes still full of sorrow. His expression remained the same as he softly squeezed Bucky’s fingers in his own. Bucky felt relief crash through him as he returned the gesture. 

They sat in silence for a little while, watching the sun dip below the horizon. The warmth of Steve’s palm felt like it was heating Bucky up from the inside out. It was his own personal ray of sunshine, warming him up in every way possible. He dreaded when he would have to pull his hand back to make their way home, so he tried to prolong their little bubble of warmth. 

“Why did your mom never see the ocean? You said she always wanted to.” Bucky turned to look once more at the beautiful nymph next to him. 

“She was a fresh water nymph. A naiad. She couldn’t leave her body of water.” Bucky’s confusion must have shown on his face because Steve continued, “Most nymphs aren’t able to travel very far from their own type of water. The water is our life source, we depend on it as much as it depends on us. My mom was a fresh water nymph, so coming all the way here, to the ocean, to saltwater, was out of the question. It would have killed her. But she always wanted to see it. She was born to the lake that resided in our grove, and that was the water that sustained her life. She couldn’t stray far from it.”

“Wait, then how are you able to be here? Weren’t you born there too?” Bucky couldn’t keep the worry out of his voice. 

“If my father was also a naiad, then yes, I would also be bound there. But my father was from the ocean. I’m part freshwater and saltwater. I’m able to travel between the two. I never have though, not until now. I always stayed with my mother.” Bucky wondered if the sadness in Steve’s eyes would ever fade when he talked about his mother. Probably not.

“But how did your parents meet then? If he was from the ocean and she couldn’t leave fresh water?”

Steve smiled a little more genuinely. “My mom always loved to tell this story. She’d tell it to me before bed sometimes. Let’s see if I remember it all,” Steve took a deep breath, continuing in a deeper tone, “There once was a man who lived in the ocean, surrounded by beauty and color. He was a warrior, a protector of his people, and he wore that badge of honor with pride. He fought for justice and truth in many battles, and always prevailed. One day, he was called upon to serve his people once more, to fight against an evil force far beyond the reach of the sea. He rallied together his most trusted soldiers and swam to the shore, but no matter what they did, they could not pass the sand and leave their precious ocean behind.

“Just when they were on the verge of giving up, a woman dressed in red appeared. ‘I will grant you passage onto the land,’ she said, ‘but in return, you must seal away the evil that eats away at this land.’ That was the soldiers original intention for straying onto land, so they agreed without hesitation. ‘Remember,’ the woman in red warned, ‘no matter the cost, you must seal it away.’ Once again, they agreed and were granted passage onto the land. They traveled over many lands searching for the evil, but they found no sign of it. 

“Eventually, they came across a small grove, in which was a small lake. Residing in that lake was a beautiful woman who stole the man’s heart. She swept him away, surrounding him with love, happiness and joy. They lived their lives together for a time, but the man had to keep his word and seal away the evil. He promised to return, so the woman waited and waited and waited. She bore his child while he was away, vowing to always protect him and love him with all her heart, just as she did his father. But the warrior was never to return. He found the evil, you see. But he had to pay the ultimate cost when sealing it away. He had to sacrifice his happiness and love, knowing he would never see his beloved again.”

Bucky remained silent throughout the story, watching Steve’s emotions play across his face. “Wow. Your mom sure knew how to tell a story, Stevie. So, you never knew your father?”

Steve shook his head slightly, something unreadable passing over his expression. “No. It was only me and my mom.”

Bucky let the gentle crash of the waves take over their silence. Steve’s dad was from the ocean, and from the sound of it, he had fought in The War just like Bucky. He had heard myths, of course, about a few select soldiers gaining the magic to walk on land to fight the god of darkness but he had always brushed them off as just that: myths. But, then again, until a few days ago, water nymphs were little more than legends to him as well. 

If Bucky was correct about Steve’s father though… “Hey, Stevie?” Steved gave a slight hum in acknowledgment. “You said earlier that you’re young for a water nymph. How old are you?”

Steve faced Bucky, a slight wrinkle between his brows, “A hundred and forty-six. Why?”

Bucky stroked his thumb slightly over the back of Steve’s hand. Gods, his skin was soft. “So your dad- he was probably a soldier in The War?” That made Steve so young compared to the merman. He was off fighting in The War before Steve was even born. But, then again, the nymph was immortal. Did age really matter for him anyway?

Steve shrugged slightly, “Yeah, probably. That’s what I figured anyway, after you told me about it. My mom never went into detail- I didn’t know anything about The War until you told me. I always figured she made up most of that stuff about my dad. A fairytale about a knight in shining armor to comfort a youngling without a father, ya know? But she always talked about the ocean. About the stories my dad had told her, the beauty and diversity of it. She always talked about how I’d get to see it one day. I knew that part of the story was true. My dad was from the ocean.”

“And your mom said he sealed away the evil…?” That didn’t exactly add up to what Bucky had come to know. Everyone knew that Poseidon was the conqueror of Deabru Gorria.

“Like I said, I bet she embellished the story a bit for my sake. He probably died in battle. I don’t know. It doesn’t matter anyway, I never knew him. I just had my mom.” The sun had almost completely disappeared behind the horizon, the warmth of the rays slowly fading. 

This hadn’t exactly been the romantic evening that Bucky had imagined when he suggested a sunset on the beach, but he still considered it a success. Steve had opened up to him, he got to learn more about the mysterious little nymph. Steve hadn’t pulled away when Bucky took his hand. They were _still_ holding hands, and Bucky would hang on as long as he was allowed to.


	10. Chapter 10

Steve wasn’t sure exactly what compelled him to talk about his mom to Bucky, but he didn’t regret it at all. As they sat there, holding hands in the sand, Steve found that talking to Bucky was the first thing that made him feel a fraction of relief from the pain he had been carrying around since this all started. 

He still didn’t quite believe that he deserved to feel any happiness, but Bucky had a way of smiling at Steve to make him think that, maybe, eventually things could be okay again. 

Of course, that feeling quickly faded as he thought of the task he had ahead of him. He would still have to leave. He needed to find those that were no doubt hunting him, not just for his own vengeance but for Bucky’s sake as well. If they found him here, Bucky could end up just like his mother and Steve couldn’t stand the thought of that. No one else would die for him. He wouldn’t allow it. 

Steve slowly pulled his hand back, extracting his fingers from Bucky’s. “We should probably head back,” he said reluctantly. The loss of warmth felt wrong and made his stomach churn. 

Bucky looked at him with sad eyes, nodding reluctantly. “Yeah, I guess so.”

Steve stood up to wade back into the soft waves. After a few paces, he turned to see Bucky pulling himself toward the water with his hands, his tail flopping uselessly on the sand. Steve couldn’t stop the laughter that bubbled up from his chest. He was probably just as surprised as the merman when he bent over, hands on his knees, gasping for air from laughing so hard. 

Bucky chuckled along with him from the shoreline, eyes shining with happiness. “Yeah, yeah, laugh it up, punk,” there was nothing but joy in his tone. 

“Sorry, sorry,” Steve gasped. 

“I’m not. You’ve got a beautiful laugh, Stevie.” Bucky’s smile was so bright, it was like the sun was still shining on Steve. 

He realized that was the first time he laughed since his mother passed. Really, truly laughed. It was a little shocking, to say the least. He honestly thought that he would hardly be able to smile again, and yet here he was, sides splitting from laughter, his injured side screaming in pain but he didn’t care. 

Still laughing lightly, Steve called water forward, washing up toward Bucky. It surrounded the merman like a warm blanket, gently carrying him back to the ocean. Bucky looked at him with large eyes over the waves, his gorgeous red tail now completely submerged. Steve shrugged and said, “Least I could do. Since I laughed at you.”

Bucky smiled that gorgeous smile, “Like I said, you’ve got a beautiful laugh.”

Steve had to actively try to stop the water from rising up and swallowing him and his embarrassment whole. He cleared his throat, nodding out toward the open ocean and where he assumed the reef was, “Shall we?”

Bucky simply nodded and slipped below the waves. Steve followed, giving his eyes a second to adjust to the saltwater. He still wasn’t quite used to it. They headed back toward the cave, Steve following just behind Bucky. He couldn’t keep his eyes off of the merman, speeding through the water with his muscles rippling along his back and shoulders, his mesmerizing tail swishing back and forth in all its’ powerful glory. He was stunning. 

When they neared Bucky’s garden, they started to slow. It was really very different seeing the reef at night. There wasn’t nearly as much activity, most of the fish hiding in the safety of the coral as larger predators lurked about. Steve stopped when he caught sight of something just beyond the corner of the little garden. 

He laughed softly, “Hey, little guy.” The sea turtle swam toward him, extending his neck for a rub. “Did you wait for us?”

Bucky swam up next to Steve. “Great, I’m not gonna be able to get rid of you now, am I?” 

Steve could feel the turtle’s delight at their return and he told Bucky as much. 

“So, what? Are we best friends now, huh?” Bucky’s question was directed at the not-so-little green shelled creature next to them. He bobbed his head a few times, waving his flippers slightly. 

“Yes, apparently,” Steve couldn’t keep the amusement out of his voice as the turtle started swimming lazy circles around them. 

Bucky sighed, “Well come on then.” He motioned for the turtle to follow while mumbling, “Since I can’t get rid of you.”

The turtle snapped at the merman’s tail, as if he knew that Bucky was only joking. 

Once they were all in the cave, Bucky immediately started making a little space for the turtle to rest. “Alright Tony, you can stay here.” He floated back, looking at the little bed he made with pride. 

“Tony?” Steve questioned.

“Well, if he’s my best friend now, he’ll need a name,” Bucky responded with a wide smile.

Steve didn’t even need to use his powers to see how pleased the sea turtle was at the new name. He made a slight grunting noise while circling around his little bed. He floated down, coming to a rest with a few more happy noises as his eyes closed. 

Steve opened his mouth to say something more before bursting out into a yawn instead. 

“Bed time for you too, then.” Bucky smiled gently at him, making Steve’s stomach feel tight and bubbly. “Come on, Stevie. Not much more we can do while the sun is down anyway.” Bucky swam over to his own bed, gently floating down to land on the soft sand. 

Steve followed suit, his bed glowing faintly green once he lowered himself onto it. He didn’t realize how exhausted he was, between spilling his emotional guts to Bucky and his aching side, he could feel the pull of sleep the moment his head hit the soft seaweed. 

 

Steve’s eyes snapped open, the image of his mother lying dead in his arms still burning in his mind. He was breathing hard and fast, water flowing in and out at an alarming rate. His eyes burned, but whether from tears or saltwater, he wasn’t sure. Probably both. His throat was sore, like he had been screaming; it felt like he had tried to swallow rocks. But, probably the most worrying thing was, he couldn’t move. Heavy arms were curled around him, restraining him. He struggled against them, too panicked to even think about using his powers to help. 

He became aware of a low murmuring voice filling his ears, “It’s okay, Stevie. You’re okay. I got cha’.” Bucky. It was Bucky. Now that he was focusing, he could feel the merman’s strong tail wrapped around his lower legs, the scales surprisingly soft against his skin. 

“Bucky?” Steve’s adrenaline was still running high, his confusion not helping matters. 

“Yeah, it’s me, Stevie.” 

Bucky continued murmuring soft reassurances until Steve stopped struggling against him.

“What happened?” Steve was still upset from his dream, and the terror from waking up restrained was not going to fade anytime soon.

“You were having a nightmare. I normally would have talked you awake, but- well, the water…” Bucky trailed off as Steve understood what he meant. The water around them… it was upset. Bubbling, churning in turmoil, creating distressed currents that swirled around the cave. Steve could see Tony in the corner, being pushed against the wall with the force of it. 

“Oh.” As soon as Steve realized what was happening he reached out, calming the water, settling the waves into its normal gentle motion. “Sorry-sorry-” A strangled sob escaped his throat as he shuddered in Bucky’s arms. 

The merman loosened his grip but still held him tightly as he quietly started shushing Steve. He whispered quiet reassurances, rocking him back and forth slightly with the waves, “You’re alright, Stevie. I’m here. I’m here.” 

Steve continued to shake in his arms, letting Bucky hold him together while he fell apart. 

He had no idea how much time passed, and he didn’t care. All he cared about was Bucky’s strong arms around him, the warmth of his chest pressed up against Steve’s back. The soft scales of his tail caressing his legs, no longer restraining but embracing, making the nymph feel cherished. He didn’t think he deserved it, no, but gods had he missed it. The feeling of someone caring for him, loving him. Even though he had been around Bucky almost constantly since the attack, Steve had never felt so alone. Having Bucky’s arms around him helped ease that ache that had grown in his chest without him realizing. 

Bucky’s soft murmurs of comfort soon turned to babbling, like the merman just said whatever popped into his head. Stories of his past, his family, anything and everything. 

Steve found himself relaxing in the merman’s arms and losing himself in the words. 

“... and that was when my sister came swimming by, arms full of crabs. I swear my ma almost had a heart attack.”

“I didn’t know you had a sister.” Steve’s voice was cracked and strained, speaking for the first time in quite a while. 

“I did.” Bucky’s voice was full of sorrow. Steve knew that feeling well. 

“I’m sorry. What happened?” Steve winced at how blunt that was, and blamed his lack of manners on his recent breakdown. 

Bucky took in a big breath of water. “She was killed. Along with my parents. Murdered by an agent of Deabru Gorria.” 

Bucky said the words without any inflection, as if he had just recited something from memory. 

“I’m so sorry, Bucky.” Steve’s own recent pain at losing his mother was enough to make him feel hollow, broken. He couldn’t imagine losing another parent as well as a sibling at the same time. How did Bucky cope?

“Yeah…” Bucky trailed off slightly, sounding lost. His arms tightened around Steve, “It was hard for a long time. I blamed myself, ya know? For not being there when they needed me. For surviving when they didn’t.” 

Steve felt his chest tighten. “What did you do?”

“I went and fought in a war. Killed the bastards who murdered my family, thinking that it would bring me some sense of comfort.” Bucky let out a hollow laugh, sending vibrations through Steve’s body. “But it actually made things worse. Not only had I lost my family, but now I had all these terrible thoughts and feelings floating around in my head. Taking a life… it takes a toll. I can still hear the screams, see the fear in their eyes.” Bucky’s voice sounded distant.

“I had nightmares about it for years. Not only did I see the bodies of my family, but the bodies of those whose lives I had taken. I lost myself for a long time. Tried to hide it. Tried to push it down. Never let any of my buddies in my cluster see it. It was finally my friend, Nat, who knocked me upside the head. Made me deal with my bullshit.” 

Steve laid in Bucky’s arms, letting his words wash over him. Had Bucky really been through something so similar to Steve? He seemed so… happy. Normal. And Steve was still so broken. 

“My mom died because of me.” Steve wasn’t sure where the words came from. They burst out of him, desperate for someone else to hear them. He couldn’t contain them anymore, Bucky had to know. Bucky’s story was different, he wasn’t the reason his family had died, but Steve… Steve was the reason his mother was gone. The reason everyone in the grove had been slaughtered. 

“What do you mean, Stevie?” Bucky’s voice was so gentle and kind it made Steve want to puke. He didn’t deserve that. 

“They were looking for me…” Before Steve knew it, the whole story came spilling out, flowing from his mouth like a waterfall. He told him everything. The blood, the bodies, his mom… everything that replayed in his head came to the surface. He told him about the monster that hunted him, the fairy who haunted his dreams. Everything. 

Throughout the whole story, Bucky held him safely in his arms, hardly even moving a muscle. Steve expected him to release him, back away in revulsion. Maybe tell him to leave or yell at him. Surely he saw how all of this was Steve’s fault. How he, himself, could be in danger just from letting Steve stay with him. 

But Bucky didn’t move at all. If anything, he held him tighter, listening to the horrors that spilled from the nymph’s mouth. When Steve had finished, he still didn’t move; he didn’t say anything, letting the calming sound of the ocean flow over them. 

Finally, Steve felt Bucky’s arms move, slipping from his waist. His heart sank, knowing that Bucky was pulling away. He knew it would happen but it still hurt. Before he could allow himself to panic anymore, he felt warm hands return, but this time on his shoulder. Bucky gently pushed him over, turning him so they were face to face on the little bed. 

Steve stared at him with wide eyes, unsure what the merman was going to do. He jumped slightly when those wonderful warm hands slid up to cup his face. 

“Steve, listen to me.” The nymph found it hard to do anything else as he stared into the depths of those beautiful deep blue eyes. “None of that was your fault.”

Steve felt himself try to pull away, an automatic reaction, his body not wanting to listen. It wasn’t true. He was to blame. Even the fairy said so. Bucky held fast though, his tail still wrapped around Steve’s legs, pulling him closer. His strong hands gently stroking Steve’s cheeks. 

“I know you think it was. But-” Steve tried to look away, “Hey. Stevie.” His gaze snapped back to the beautiful face in front of him. “It wasn’t. Your. Fault.” Steve felt tears starting to leak from his eyes. Bucky wouldn’t be able to see them in the water, but Steve got the feeling that he knew they were there anyway. “You didn’t kill your ma. You didn’t kill all those people, Stevie. _She_ did.”

“But she was there because of me,” Steve sobbed out. 

“Stevie,” Bucky wrapped his arms around Steve once again, bringing him forward so his head was cradled to that muscular chest, “it wasn’t your fault. You didn’t ask for this to happen. You didn’t know. There was nothing you could have done. And if you had been there, I have no doubt in my mind that you would have fought to the last breath protecting every one of those beings. But you weren’t. And that _wasn’t your fault_. Trust me, I know.” 

Steve felt a stab in his chest, Bucky did know, didn’t he? He had said that he wasn’t there for his own family. He must know what Steve was feeling. He sobbed into Bucky’s chest, letting the merman’s warmth seep into his bones. His strong arms held Steve close as he cried, gently running his fingers up and down his back. It was soothing in a way Steve had never known, being held by someone while he just let himself fall apart. He knew Bucky would help hold him together. 

A few minutes passed that way, Steve crying into the merman’s chest. Bucky’s fingers stilled on his back, making Steve look up at him. “What did she mean by ‘tipping the scales’? That’s what she said, right?” 

“Yeah. She said they needed my power to tip the scales.” Steve had those words running around in his head constantly since the forest, and he still had no idea what they meant. 

Bucky hummed. “I think we should go see Nat tomorrow.”

“Your friend?” Steve blinked a little, feeling that the change in topic was a bit sudden.

“Yeah. She has a way of knowing things.” Steve was unsure what that meant, but he nodded anyway. 

Bucky’s fingers resumed along Steve’s back, sending little sparks along his skin. There was something about being in Bucky’s arms that just felt… right. He couldn’t explain it, but Steve felt like this was where he belonged. 

He thought his life was destroyed just a few days ago, and, in all honesty, it had been. Yet, here he was with this amazing merman who held him like he was precious, like he was worth something. It felt so surreal, Steve had a hard time believing it was actually happening. 

He looked up into Bucky’s face, taking in his dark full eyelashes, his sharp masculine nose, the little dimple in his chin that made Steve want to stick his thumb in the indention. He was gorgeous. Steve’s eyes strayed down from his eyes to his lips, watching the water wash over them lightly. They were so plump and pink. Steve wanted to lean forward, brush his own lips against them just to see what they felt like. 

Bucky moved forward slightly and Steve’s heart picked up in his chest. His lips drew closer, but instead of coming toward his own, they moved up. Bucky pressed his lips to Steve’s forehead, lingering for a few precious seconds. Steve closed his eyes, letting the feeling of those lips wash over him. 

Bucky drew back slightly, cradling Steve against him. “It’ll be okay, Stevie. Get some sleep. I’m here. I’ll watch over you.”

Steve closed his eyes allowing himself to melt into the merman’s arms. And just for a moment he let himself believe Bucky’s words. Maybe it would be okay.


	11. Chapter 11

Bucky woke to something hitting his tail. He groggily opened his eyes, glancing down to see Tony nudging him with his head. He glared at the turtle for waking him. “Jerk,” he mumbled. 

Steve was still asleep in his arms, his small chest rising and falling against Bucky’s. His face was relaxed, peaceful in sleep. He was beautiful. Bucky wanted to stay there forever with the nymph in his arms. It felt right, like something deep in his soul had settled. 

Tony nudged him again, making the merman look at him. “What?” he whispered, trying not to wake the water nymph in his arms. 

Tony nodded his head, swimming toward the opening of the cave. He circled back around to stare at Bucky. “You want me to follow you?” Bucky’s eyebrows shot up. 

The turtle made a little grumbling noise, nodding his head again as he turned to swim out of the cave. Bucky sighed, looking down at Steve again. He really didn’t want to move. This was probably the most amazing thing to ever happen to him, having the nymph in his arms. He tightened his arms around the nymph for a second, unsure if this would ever happen again. 

Tony circled around again, snapping his mouth while staring at Bucky. “Geez, keep your shell on,” he whispered. Bucky carefully withdrew his arms, even though all he wanted to do was hold Steve tighter. He cradled his head, setting him down gently on his bed. He let his tail linger on the nymphs legs before moving to follow the turtle.

Once they were outside the cave, Bucky let his annoyance show, “What was so important, huh, pal?” 

Sunlight was shining through the water again, the reef and all its inhabitants in full swing. Fish bustled about, taking cover when Bucky got too close. 

The turtle just kept swimming, not even turning to make sure Bucky was following him. He was tempted, just for a moment, to go back in the cave and cuddle Steve in his arms again, but that would probably only result in the turtle coming back and snapping at him. He heaved another sigh, following his little shelled friend. 

He led him just beyond the garden. Bucky could see where Tony must have been munching on the grass, “Morning snack, huh?”

The turtle turned his head, giving the merman what he thought to be a glare. He chuckled at the cute expression, coming up next to the turtle. “So what did you want to show me, pal?”

Tony swam down, nudging at a rock resting in the sand. Or what Bucky thought was a rock. The object lifted up, floating in the water much more easily than any rock could have. Bucky sank down, grabbing the object and almost immediately dropped it. 

It was squishy and slimy. Half of a fish’s head. Small bite marks ran all along what remained of the fish’s neck. Whatever did this had sharp pointed teeth that left deep marks. The rest of the fish was scattered about. Bones and meat laying in small pieces along the sand, so small that Bucky didn’t notice them at first. None of the fish had actually been eaten, or at least the amount of carnage didn’t make it seem that way. 

There were very few creatures who would do something like this, shred a fish for pleasure, and none of them were good. Bucky looked at the head in his hands again. The teeth marks were rounded, evenly spread apart. A thin green mucus was around the bite marks. 

He dropped the fish as if it burned him. He turned to Tony who was staring at him with big eyes. “A siren? Tony, was this a siren?” The turtle nodded his head up and down. 

Bucky cursed under his breath. Siren’s were dangerous. Bucky had fought against enough of them during The War to know. Most of them easily aligned themselves with Deabru Gorria, using their voices to control others just as he used his shadows to invade people’s minds. 

This didn’t mean that all of them were evil, Bucky wasn’t that ignorant. But he did know that, until proven otherwise, they were dangerous. And judging by what this siren had done to the fish, he was probably right to be cautious. 

He turned back toward his cave, unease settling in his stomach. He didn’t like the idea of Steve alone while there was a siren about. 

Just as he was swimming over his garden he heard it. A beautiful soft melody being carried over the waves. Bucky instantly shot down, picking some of his seaweed and stuffing it in his ears, experience from The War telling him what to do. Once the noise had been dulled, he crept closer to his cave, heart thudding in his chest. The muffled noise grew slightly louder as Bucky’s adrenaline set it. Steve. He had to protect Steve. 

Checking his ear plugs once more, Bucky drew up next to the cave. He slowly looked around the edge of the rock, seeing a lilac skinned siren just inside, its back to Bucky. And just in front of it was Steve. He was upright, floating lightly with a distant look in his eye. He had a slight smile on his lips, arms and legs moving slowly to keep him upright. 

The siren’s song had hold of him. 

Bucky swam forward, years of fighting making him silent, barely disturbing the water. When he was close enough, he rushed forward, wrapping his arm around the siren’s neck, squeezing just hard enough to make it gasp. His other arm wrapped around the siren’s body and arms, holding it down with an iron grip and it tried to thrash about. His tail wrapped around the siren’s smaller one, holding it tight. 

As soon as the being gasped, the song cut off. Steve blinked a little dazedly looking around in confusion while Bucky held the siren tightly. 

“Who are you? What do you want?” Bucky ground out harshly.

“Wha- Bucky?” Steve was still a little stunned; coming out of a siren’s song took a few minutes. His voice sounded muted through the plants still in Bucky’s ears. 

The creature struggled in Bucky’s arms, hissing as it’s sharp pointed teeth snapped. He tightened his arm around the siren’s neck, making the creature cut off with a gag. 

“I said, what do you want?” Bucky was practically growling through his teeth. 

He could feel the creature trying to talk, it’s throat straining under his muscles. He let up slightly and the siren started singing again, a soft melody slipping from between its lips. He immediately clamped his arm down again, cutting the song off quickly.

“None of that, now. Answer the question.”

Steve was slowly floating down, hand on his head, “Bucky? What’s happening?” His eyes were slowly clearing.

“You’re okay, Stevie. It was a siren.” Turning his attention once again to the creature in his hands, Bucky ground out, “Are you going to answer now? Or do you need some encouragement?”

Bucky slowly started pulling his tail down while his arms pulled up. The siren’s body straightened, being stretched in two different directions. Bucky’s muscles strained as he pulled even further and the siren let out a cry of pain. The siren was no match for Bucky, he was much stronger. If he wanted to he could probably pull the siren apart into two pieces. 

He slowly loosened his arm slightly from the siren’s neck. “You wanna talk now?”

The creature let out a gurgle sound before saying, “Him. I’m here for him.” The siren’s voice was high pitched and gravely. The complete opposite of the beautiful melody it had produced just a few moments earlier. Bucky had to strain his ears to hear him through the seaweed.

“What do you want with him?” 

The siren hesitated. Bucky pulled again, even further this time. The siren whined, struggling against Bucky’s iron grip. 

“She sent me to get him. That’s all I know, please-” Bucky squeezed his neck again making the siren cut off with a choked noise. 

“Who sent you?”

“Vipra,” his voice strained from Bucky’s hold. 

Bucky looked up at Steve, seeing if the name was familiar, but he just looked even more confused. 

“Who the fuck is that?” Bucky’s confusion bled into his voice.

The siren hesitated again, “She’s a woodland fairy, please-” Bucky tightened his arm again, looking up to see Steve, now clear eyed, gazing back at him with wide eyes. 

“She found me,” Steve’s voice was small, almost a whisper. 

“What does she want with him?” Bucky’s tone hardened once again.

“I don’t know- I don’t- please-”

Bucky stared at Steve, his expression making his heart fall. He looked so lost. He wanted nothing more than to swim over and hold him again. To rewind back to this morning, with Steve soft and pliant in his arms. 

“What does she want?” Bucky pulled again, this time a little harder, letting his anger bleed through. How dare this siren come and attack Steve while he was sleeping. How dare that fairy think that Steve was unprotected. Bucky wouldn’t let them touch a single golden hair on the nymph’s head. 

“Hydra,” the sirens voice was barely a whisper, Bucky almost didn’t hear it through the seaweed, “Hydra. She’s part of Hydra.”

Bucky loosened his grip a bit, letting the siren take a deep gulp of water. “What the fuck is Hydra? Like the monster?” 

“I can’t- please- they’ll kill me,” the sirens shrill voice sent chills along Bucky’s skin. 

He tightened his grip again, feeling the siren struggle weekly in his arms. 

“Let ‘em go,” Steve’s voice rang clearly through the cave. 

“Stevie-”

“Trust me, Buck.” Steve’s eyes were hard, his face not showing any emotion.

Bucky slowly loosened his arms and tail, letting the siren glide through the water toward the cave floor. 

It immediately started gasping, hand at its throat as it tried to catch its breath. Bucky drifted back a bit, putting a little distance between them, just in case the siren lashed out. 

Steve brought his hands up, the blue waves across his skin lighting up in sparks of power. The whole cave seemed to hum with energy. 

The siren lifted off the floor, water carrying it up. The creature gasped, looking at Steve with wild fear in its eyes. 

“Please- I don’t know anything.”

“What’s Hydra?” Steve’s voice was steady and calm but the siren looked terrified. It apparently didn’t know it was going up against a water nymph.

“They’re followers of Red Skull,” the words came tumbling out, like the siren couldn’t help itself. It was terrified in the face of Steve. 

“Red Skull is dead,” Bucky said. Everyone knew that. That was the whole reason for The War.

“They say he’s not- I don’t know. Please, I don’t know anymore.” The siren looked desperate, trying to move away from Steve, but the water wrapped around them, holding them in place. Bucky felt rage boiling in the pit of his stomach. There was no way the Red Skull was still alive. He couldn’t be. Otherwise thousands of people died for nothing. No, it couldn’t be true.

Bucky looked at Steve, his face still impassive. He understood why the siren was afraid. Steve looked terrifying, his face blank and eyes angry. The blue lines on his skin swirled almost furiously around his body. It looked like it took him no effort at all to hold the siren still, and Bucky knew he was capable of much, much more. 

Hardly a second later, Steve released his hold on the siren, his body relaxing. He stared hard at the siren, “Leave.” 

The siren immediately darted out the cave and swam away. Steve’s slumped a bit, heaving a big sigh. His body language completely shifting from menacing to weary. 

“I don’t know if letting them go was such a good idea, Stevie.” Bucky swam a little closer, pulling the seaweed out of his ears. He laid his hand gently on the nymph’s shoulder.

Steve leaned into the touch, closing his eyes. “What would you have me do? Kill them?” He opened his eyes to peer up at Bucky. “I don’t think I could do that.”

“No, Stevie. That’s not something I would wish on anyone,” his tone was soft as he looked at the water nymph, “but we could have tied them up or something.”

Steve shrugged lightly, careful not to dislodge Bucky’s hand. “It doesn’t matter now. I have to leave.”

Bucky felt as if he’d been slapped. “What? Leave?”

“They’re gonna come again, Buck. And there will probably be more next time. I’ve gotta leave. I won’t put you in danger.” Steve’s voice was strong as he stared into Bucky’s eyes. 

“Put me in danger? Pal, if you’re leaving, I’m going too.” Did Steve honestly think he could leave without him? That Bucky would let him go off alone while his life was in danger?

“No, Bucky, you can’t. They’ll come after you too.” Steve looked pained at the very idea. 

“I can handle myself, Stevie. If you’re going, I’m going with you.” 

Steve swam back slightly, putting some distance between the two of them. “No, Bucky. I won’t have anyone else die for me. I’ll be fine on my own.”

Bucky sighed softly, “But the thing is, you don’t have to be on your own.” Bucky swam forward, closing the distance between them again. He brought his hand up to cup Steve’s face. “I’m coming with you, Stevie.”

Steve sucked in his bottom lip, nibbling on it slightly as he squinted at Bucky. The merman could see the conflict in Steve’s eyes. 

“I can’t stay here anyway, pal. They already know you were here. We’ve both gotta go.” Something nudged Bucky’s arm. He looked over to see Tony headbutting him again. “We’ve all gotta go,” Bucky sighed in exasperation at the turtle. Tony bobbed his head happily. 

Bucky looked back at Steve, his hand still cupping his face. “Stevie,” his voice was soft. The nymph looked up at him with wide eyes. Eyes that had seen too much sorrow, too much grief. Bucky would do anything for him, give anything to make him happy. There was nowhere that this nymph could go that Bucky wouldn’t follow. “I’m with ya ‘till the end of the line.”

Steve glanced down at Bucky’s lips, eyes lingering for a few seconds before looking up into his eyes. Bucky leaned forward, his nose slightly brushing against Steve’s. “Stevie,” his name came out like a prayer on Bucky’s lips. Steve moved forward, lightly touching their lips together. Just a soft feather-like touch that sparked down Bucky’s body making his heart pound even harder. He swore that Steve would be able to hear it. 

Steve pulled back just a moment later. It was so short, it probably couldn’t even be considered a kiss. Bucky ran his thumb along Steve’s cheek, searching his eyes for any sort of discomfort or regret. When he found nothing but contentment, Bucky leaned back in, taking Steve’s mouth in a proper kiss. 

He cradled Steve’s face as he moved his mouth against Steve’s, sucking his bottom lip lightly before running his tongue over it. Steve gasped quietly, allowing Bucky to lick into his mouth. Steve tasted of saltwater and seaweed and Bucky let out a quiet groan at the perfect combination. Steve responded with equal fervor, lightly touching Bucky’s tongue with his own. He whined softly when Bucky bit down gently on his lip. Steve’s hands gently gripped Bucky’s waist, just above where his scales started, thumbs caressing his skin in light circles. 

The water around them swirled in light circles, creating an almost whirlpool with them in the center. They slowly turned with the water, but Bucky hardly noticed as he got lost in Steve’s lips. 

All too soon Bucky pulled back slowly. “As much as I’d love to kiss you all day,” his voice was soft like the waves around them, “we’ve gotta get goin’, Stevie. They could come back anytime.” He placed a chaste kiss to Steve’s lips lingering for just a second. He didn’t want to stop, gods no, he wanted to kiss Steve forever. But keeping Steve safe was his first priority, and they had to get moving just in case Hydra, or whoever the fuck they were, decided to come back sooner rather than later. 

Steve sighed, seemed just as reluctant as Bucky was to stop. “You’re right.”

Tony nudged Bucky’s arm again, jostling his hold on Steve’s face. “Yeah, yeah, you’re coming too.”

The turtle gurgled happily next to them.


	12. Chapter 12

Steve felt like he was floating. Well, he was, but this was in a completely different sense. He felt like his very soul was lighter. Bucky had kissed him. Steve even managed to ignore that little voice in the back of head telling him he did deserve happiness long enough to enjoy it. 

He was still struggling under the weight of his grief and guilt, but when Bucky’s lips met his, he felt like there was a light at the end of this long dark tunnel. It felt strangely like hope. Hope that things might be okay, just like Bucky had been saying. 

Everything that Steve had been shoving down and burying under his grief came crashing to the surface with that kiss. His attraction to Bucky, his want, his fear, anxiety, all of it. He still didn’t feel completely feel like he deserved any happiness, but when Bucky smiled at him like the sun… he couldn’t help but think that maybe, just maybe Bucky could help him get there. 

“Anything else you want to bring?” Bucky’s voice broke through his thoughts, bringing him back to the little cave. The merman had his trident tied to his back, a small net full of food and plants held in his hand. Tony was hovering toward the front of the cave, ready to go. 

Steve looked around. There really wasn’t anything else they needed. Besides, Steve didn’t exactly have anything of his own here anyway. 

“No, I’m ready.” Steve started pushing himself toward the cave entrance to join Tony.

When Bucky didn’t start following him, he turned around to see the merman looking around the small cave with a sad smile. Of course it was hard for him, this was his home. And now he was having to leave, thanks to Steve. Just another person whose life was wrecked by the nymph. 

“Hey, stop that.” Bucky’s voice was stern. 

“What?” Steve could feel his confusion on his face. 

“You’re blaming yourself. I can tell. Stop it.” Bucky swam up to Steve until he was gently floating in front of him. “It’s just a cave.”

“It’s your home, Bucky,” Steve said desperately. 

“Well,” Bucky reached out taking Steve’s hand, “you’ll just have to be my new home then.”

He leaned down to gently kiss Steve on the lips. Steve could immediately feel his face heat up, the water around them growing slightly warmer. 

Bucky pulled back, tugging Steve’s hand. “Come on, we need to go.”

They made their way over the reef, Tony right behind them before Steve thought to ask, “Where are we going?” The merman had seemed so confident in his direction, Steve had no doubt that he had a destination in mind. 

“Natasha’s,” Bucky answered simply.

Steve pulled up short, stopping over some coral. “No. Bucky. We can’t.” He wouldn’t bring someone else into this mess. He’d already dragged Bucky down with him. 

Bucky stopped, turning back to Steve with a firm look. “Steve, it’ll be fine, I promise. Besides, her home is probably the safest place in the entire ocean.”

Steved eyed Bucky dubiously. He really didn’t want to endanger anyone else, but he also didn’t have anywhere else to go in mind. And Bucky would need a safe place to stay anyway while Steve went to face Hydra. He could escort Bucky there, make sure he was safe and then leave. 

Steve nodded reluctantly. He saw a look of surprise pass over Bucky’s face, probably not expecting Steve to agree so quickly. 

They made their way toward Natasha’s home, Bucky’s powerful tail pushing him through the water and Steve using his powers to push himself forward. They didn’t go very quickly, keeping a pace that was easy for Tony to maintain. 

When the turtle started to tire, Steve pulled him along with a flick of his hand. He looked back several times to make sure Tony was okay and each time the turtle snorted with what Steve took to be laughter. 

Soon enough, they came upon what Steve could only describe as an underwater forest. Long stalks of kelp covered the ocean floor in front of them, as far as the eye could see. It was impossibly tall, reaching all the way from the ocean floor to the surface fifty feet above them. Steve felt a pang of longing as he watched the huge stalks sway in the water, reminding him of his trees back home. 

Bucky reached back, taking his hand as he slowly guided him through the vegetation. It was so thick, it was almost like a maze. Steve wrapped an arm around Tony’s shell, afraid the turtle might get lost. He had no idea how Bucky knew where he was going. 

After several minutes, the stalks of kelp thinned and the three swam out into a little clearing surrounded on all sides by the kelp forest. Sunlight beamed down into the clearing, showing several colored rocks set around in a circle. There were several small balls covered in blue spikes along the ocean floor that Steve thought looked menacing. 

But the most eye catching thing was the woman. She was in the middle of the clearing, petting an otter. She had bright red hair, flowing about in the water and sharp green eyes that locked on to Steve as soon as she saw him. She looked vaguely like a nymph, but no lines marked her skin and she had small horns protruding from her head. For some reason, Steve had been expecting a mermaid, so her lack of tail came as a little bit of a shock and he found himself staring at her legs kicking back and forth. 

Unlike Steve, Natasha was fully clothed. She had seashells around her waist, holding up a skirt of kelp which just barely reached the top of her thighs. A thick piece of kelp was tied around her chest, accenting her sharp shoulder blades and bare stomach. 

“I’ll take your staring as a compliment,” her voice was silky and smooth, snapping Steve out of his rather rude daze. 

Steve felt the water heat up around him in his normal sign of embarrassment. He looked over to see Bucky looking at him with an arched eyebrow. 

“Did you bring me some dulce?” Her attention now turned to Bucky. 

“Yeah, yeah.” He held out the net full of plants and food. “Knock yourself out.”

She swam forward slightly to take the offered net. “You’re a hero.” She winked at the merman before swimming back to the otter. Steve couldn’t help the little spike of jealous that rushed through him. The water around him felt like it was tightening slightly, the pressure increasing.

He looked over at Bucky to see the merman looking at him with fond eyes. The water around him settled again. Bucky squeezed his hand, giving him a blinding smile. 

“So,” Natasha said, turning back to them, “you must be Steve.”

“How did you…?” Steve trailed off. 

“I told you. She knows things.” Bucky sounded faintly proud of his friend. 

“Of course I know about you, Steve. The water nymph who’s stolen my best friend’s heart.” She smiled wickedly over at Bucky. 

Bucky’s cheeks turned pink as he looked at the ocean floor. But, Steve noticed, he didn’t deny it. 

“Come. Sit.” Natasha gestured to the rocks around the clearing. 

Bucky pulled Steve forward by his hand before letting go to settle himself on a rock. Steve mourned the loss of Bucky’s hand as he let Tony go, the turtle bustling off to chomp on some kelp. 

Steve settled himself on the rock next to Bucky. The merman’s tail drifted over to brush against Steve’s legs, like he couldn’t stand not to be in contact with the nymph. Steve looked down at his lap, smiling. 

“You’re earlier than I was expecting.” Natasha settled on a rock herself, crossing her long legs in front of her. 

“We were attacked.” Natasha sat up a little straighter, raising an eyebrow as Bucky went on. “A siren. It enchanted Steve. Would have gotten me too, but Tony over there dragged my ass outta bed.”

The turtle snapped at Bucky, but didn’t bother moving away from his snack. 

“They already tried to take you,” Natasha’s voice was serious as she looked at Steve, “that’s sooner than I expected, too.”

“What are you talking about?” Bucky sounded upset, almost angry. 

“What do you know so far?” She ignored Bucky’s question, looking straight at Steve. 

He squirmed slightly under her piercing gaze. “They attacked my home. Killed everyone.” Everytime he said it out loud he had to hold back tears. 

Natasha’s face softened, her eyes taking on a sympathetic look. “I know. I’m sorry.”

Steve nodded, wishing he could be back in the cave with Bucky, wrapped up in his arms. The merman’s tail wrapped around his ankle, as if he could tell what Steve was thinking. 

“The siren. He said the fairy that sent him was named Vipra. And she’s part of something called Hydra, they’re followers of Deabru Gorria.” Bucky spoke up, telling Natasha what Steve couldn’t manage. 

“Yes. They call themselves Hydra. They have a hydra, too,” Natasha responded. 

“They have a _hydra_? Like, multiple heads, huge, monstrous beast?” Bucky gestured wildly with his hands. 

Steve looked up. “I’ve seen that.” Bucky stared at him in shock. “Multiple heads? It’s the beast that attacked my grove with the fairy.”

“Wha- _Stevie_. You were up against a hydra?” Bucky looked downright scared. He pushed himself up, swimming over to where Steve was and wrapping his arms around him. “How the fuck did you- you’re lucky to be _alive_ , Steve.”

He hoisted Steve up, turning around to sit on the rock himself and settled Steve on his lap, apparently not caring in the least that Natasha was there. Steve really couldn’t complain. Now that he had a taste of being in Bucky’s arms, it was all he wanted. He settled back into the merman’s chest, letting him fuss. 

Natasha smiled at the two of them, genuine happiness for her friend showing on her face. A moment later, she turned serious again. “Steve, I know you plan to fight them alone,” Bucky looked down at Steve in shock, squeezing his arms a little tighter, “but, you’ll need help. Our help. They’re stronger than you think.”

“No, I’m not endangering anyone else.” Steve avoided looking at Bucky.

“Stevie, we’ve been through this-” Bucky sounded exasperated.

“No,” Steve cut him off, “I won’t, Bucky. I won’t lose anyone else to them.” Bucky put his hand under Steve’s chin, making him look up. “I can’t do it. I can’t lose you too,” Steve gasped out. If he were above water, he would have tears in his eyes. 

“Oh, Stevie. I’m not going anywhere.” Bucky dropped his chin, wrapping his arms around him again to bring him against his chest. 

“You boys are very cute and all, but just shut up and listen for a second.” Natasha’s voice was stern, but not rudely so. “So, you know they’re Hydra, you know about their fairy leader, that they’re followers of Deabru Gorria and you know they’re after Steve. Did it ever occur to you to ask _why Steve_?”

“We asked the siren, but it swore it didn’t know,” Bucky said defensively. 

“Well, my dear, that’s where I come in, then.” Natasha pushed herself up, swimming over to grab one of the spikey things off a rock. “Do you know what happened to Deabru Gorria?”

“He was killed. Poseidon killed him.” 

“Not quite, my friend.” Natasha smiled sadly at Bucky. “You see, Poseidon didn’t kill him, not entirely. He sealed him away, locked him in the underworld for all eternity.”

“Isn’t that basically killing him?” Bucky’s brows wrinkled. 

“No. He’s able to escape, Hydra can set him free.”

“How do you know all this?” Steve couldn’t stop himself from asking. The woman seemed to know everything, things that he couldn’t find any logical explanation for. 

“I’m a sea witch,” she shrugged, “it’s what I do. Knowledge is my job.”

Steve looked at her with renewed interest, he’d never met a witch before. 

“What do you mean they can set him free? How? That’s impossible. He’s dead he has to be. The war- all those people. He’s dead.” Bucky sounded firm.

“He’s not, Bucky. I’m sorry, but Red Skull is still very much alive.” Natash looked at him with worried eyes. 

“That’s not- he _can’t_ be. What was the point of The War then? All those people, did they die for nothing?” Bucky sounded distressed and Steve reached out to comfort him.

“It wasn’t for nothing. He’s locked away, Bucky. Sealed in the underworld. He would have killed millions more if that never happened. It wasn’t for nothing.” Natasha’s voice was calm and methodical, trying to sooth Bucky’s ache. 

Bucky took a few deep breaths, Steve leaning his weight back against him for comfort. “Fine. So how are they able to set him free? What do they need to do?” Bucky wrapped his arms around Steve’s waist lightly. 

Natasha looked sadly at Steve and he felt his stomach tighten. He could tell he wouldn’t like what she had to say. 

“When Poseidon sealed him away, his mind was already starting to darken with Deabru Gorria’s shadows. He didn’t have complete control over himself. Deabru Gorria forced him to add a condition,” she gestured around, “like a failsafe, that would allow him to escape his imprisonment.” She hesitated. 

“Okay, and what is it?” Bucky said impatiently. 

Natasha looked directly as Steve, “It’s you. Poseidon’s son.”


	13. Chapter 13

Bucky looked at Steve’s shocked face, not quite believing what he was hearing either. 

“But, I can’t be-” Steve was shaking his head.

“You are.” Natasha cut him off. “Poseidon’s your father.”

Then everything clicked. The story that Steve’s mother had told him, sealing away the evil, all of it made sense. She had told Steve the truth. It wasn’t some embellished story to make a little youngling happy, it was the truth. 

“Didn’t you ever wonder why you were able to do all these things that other water nymphs can’t do? You’re Poseidon’s son. You’re half water nymph and half god.” Bucky choked a little on nothing. “God of the sea, anyway.”

Steve’s breath was coming a little fast, his eyes were wide and his mouth open. He looked around wildly, panic playing across his face. Bucky was feeling slightly gobsmacked himself.

Bucky adjusted Steve in his lap and started slowly stroking his back, just like he did when Steve had that nightmare. Was that really only the other night? That felt so long ago. 

He held Steve close, waiting for his breathing to slow as the water around them grew unsettled. He finally calmed enough to entwine his fingers with Bucky’s on the hand that wasn’t rubbing his back. Bucky squeezed his hand reassuringly, looking up at Natasha. 

“So what do we do?”

“Well, they obviously can’t get to Steve.” Natasha swirled the sea urchin in her hands. 

“I’d never let that happen.” Bucky had never been more sure of anything. He would do everything in his power to keep Steve safe. 

“I know, you’re the big strong hero.” Nat rolled her eyes at him. “But, we need a plan.”

“I have to face them,” Steve’s voice was tiny, almost a whisper. 

“No. Steve-”

Natasha cut Bucky off, “He’s right, that’s a terrible plan.” The little nymph looked up with narrowed eyes. “I’m sure you could do a considerable amount of damage, don’t get me wrong, but they want to lure you out of the ocean. Get you away from water. You know why?” Steve was still glaring at her slightly. “Because that’s where you’re the most powerful. So, naturally, that’s where you need to be.”

Bucky wrapped his arms around Steve again, holding him tightly. “So what do we do?” He asked again. 

“Hydra is a big group. Bigger than just a fairy and her attack dog. We can’t possibly take them all on.” 

Bucky gaped at his friend. That was so unlike her, saying they couldn’t do it. 

“So, instead, we’re going to have to cut them off from what they want. Deabru Gorria.” 

Bucky smiled. That was more like it. That was the Natasha he knew. 

“What do you mean?” Steve asked. 

“They need a summoning stone to call him back from the underworld. Well, that and Steve. They would have to sacrifice him on it.” Bucky felt rage boil in his stomach, at just the thought that these people wanted to hurt his Stevie. “Luckily for us, all but one of the summoning stones have been destroyed.”

“How is that possible?” Bucky eyed his friend. There’s no way they got that lucky. 

“Well, I would have destroyed them all but they’re moving faster than I anticipated.” Natasha sighed. “I suppose we’ll just have to do it together.” Of course it was Nat. She was always one step ahead of everyone. Bucky felt such gratitude toward his friend at that moment, he didn’t know if he would ever be able to pay her back. 

“Okay, what do we have to do?” Steve was starting to get his normal determined look back. Bucky couldn’t help the fondness that washed over him. 

“It’s a few days travel from here, but it’s along the coast. We wouldn’t have to stray far from the water.”

“Okay, that’s doable. What’s the catch?” Bucky knew Natasha. If it was easy then she would have already done it. 

“I can destroy the stone. But since it’s the last one… It’s heavily guarded.”

“So, you need help getting to it.” Steve sounded confident. “I can do that.” 

“ _We_ can do that.” Bucky looked down at Steve with a stern face. “I’m going with you. This is my fight too.” He wasn’t going to let Steve go off and finish The War without him. 

“Bucky-”

“No, he’s right,” Natasha cut him off, “we need him.”

Bucky looked down at Steve, knowing that his smile was a little smug. Steve glared at him, but there was no real heat behind it. He settled back into Bucky’s chest, making the merman’s heart race. 

Tony wandered over, nudging Bucky’s arm with his head. “Sorry, pal. You’re not coming this time.” The turtle snapped at Bucky’s fingers. “No, I’m serious. You need to stay here.”

“He’ll be safe here. This place is protected.” Natasha smiled at the little turtle. 

“So, when do we leave?” Bucky was eager to get going. As much as he would love to sit here with Steve in his arms, and _gods_ did he love that, he also couldn’t wait to get this whole mess over with. Maybe once this Hyra group had been dealt with, he could take Steve back to their cave and show him how much he had really fallen for the nymph. 

“You should rest up a bit. We’ll leave in a few hours. You boys make yourselves comfortable.” With that, Natasha turned and swam through the stalks of kelp. 

Steve turned slightly in Bucky’s arms to look at him. “This is insane.” He still looked a bit shell shocked.

Bucky brought a hand up to run his thumb over Steve’s cheekbone. “What is? The part where Poseidon is your father? Or where we’re about to go destroy some stone by sneaking past Hydra?” He smirked at Steve. 

The nymph let out a small laugh that sounded just on the edge of hysterical. “All of it. Everything.” He leaned into Bucky’s touch. “Poseidon. Fuck.” Steve closed his eyes, taking a deep breath. “I mean, I always knew I had a father, sure, but he was this nameless, faceless soldier that I would imagine. To know that it’s _Poseidon_ \- I mean, it is him, right? You don’t think she’s wrong about that, do you?”

“No, Stevie. I don’t think she is. Afterall, it explains why these people are after you. And with all your powers… Steve, it makes sense.” Bucky spoke softly, his voice gentle. 

Steve opened his eyes to look up at Bucky, “And now we’re going to fight them. This is just… insane. I mean, I always planned on going back and facing them,” Bucky tightened his arm around Steve, a surge of protectiveness rushing through him, “but now that I know they plan to sacrifice me…” Bucky really didn’t like talking about Steve as a sacrifice. It made his stomach churn in anger. “If I fail-”

“That’s _not_ going to happen, Stevie. I won’t let it.” Bucky held Steve close. He had never been more sure of anything. He was a skilled soldier and he would do everything he could to protect him. Not to mention Steve wasn’t so helpless himself. He was part god, after all. 

Steve looked up into Bucky’s eyes before his gaze fell to his lips. He leaned forward, capturing the merman’s lips with his own. Bucky melted into the kiss, letting himself lick into the nymphs mouth with a groan. He would never get used to this. Kissing Steve was probably the closest thing to heaven he would ever have. 

His stomach felt like it was full of jellyfish, fluttering about, making his tail curl in pleasure. He cupped Steve’s face, angling his head to the side to deepen the kiss. The taste of saltwater and seaweed was so perfect Bucky wanted to cry. 

After a few moments that were all too short, Steve pulled back to look into Bucky’s eyes again. “I’m glad I met you,” his voice was sincere, full of awe. 

“I can’t imagine my life without you now, Stevie.” He smiled down at the nymph. He felt the weight of his words catch in his throat. It was true, life without Steve would be empty. So Bucky said the only thing that made sense, that might portray his feelings to Steve, “I’m with ya ‘till the end of the line.”

Steve smiled blindingly, leaning in to kiss Bucky again.


	14. Chapter 14

They traveled for a few days, just like Natasha said they would. Steve easily pushed himself through the water with his powers, occasionally pushing the others as well when they grew tired. 

Steve burst out laughing the first time he wrapped Bucky up in the water and pushed him along. The merman flailed about uselessly, letting out a not-so-manly yelp. He ended up hitting himself in the face with his own tail before he learned to relax and let the water do the work. Even Natasha cracked a small smile at that. 

Tony wasn’t too happy when they left the kelp forest. He snapped at Bucky several times, and even snapped at Steve once. He seemed much happier once Steve used his powers to grow some seagrass in the clearing for him. Steve could feel the turtle’s sadness when they left, but he promised Tony they would be back. 

Steve still hadn’t completely processed the fact that he was Poseidon’s son. He didn’t think he would ever fully process that. It was a little difficult to grasp, knowing that your father was a god. How many times had he prayed to the goddesses of the forest? And he turned out to be part god himself. That wasn’t exactly an easy thing to accept. But Steve figured he should focus on destroying this summoning stone, and then he could work on the rest of his baggage. One step at a time. 

They stopped to rest at night, Natasha pulling out little stones to place in a circle around them. When Steve asked what she was doing, she simply replied, “Protection,” and that was that. She repeated the same process every night they stopped to rest. 

Steve would fall asleep in Bucky’s arms each night, spending what time he could cradled in the merman’s arms. He still had nightmares, but Bucky always seemed to rock him gently awake before they ever got too bad with soft murmurs of comfort. 

They stopped for one final night before they were to attack the stone the next morning. Everyone was somber, quietly laying on the ocean floor, nervous for what was to come the next day. Steve laid in Bucky’s arms like usual, running his fingertips over the scales on his hip. They fluttered back and forth slightly, catching the moonlight just right so they glittered like seashells. 

“Stevie,” Bucky broke the silence with a whisper. 

Steve looked up into his deep eyes, “Yeah, Buck?”

“If anything goes wrong tomorrow-” Bucky started out slowly.

“It won’t. You said yourself it won’t.” Steve’s fingers stilled as he looked up at the merman. Where was this coming from?

“If it does,” Bucky reached down, taking Steve’s hand on his hip into his own, “promise me that you’ll get away.”

Steve blinked up at him with wide eyes. How could he say that? Steve would never run from a fight, not like that. He wouldn’t leave Bucky behind and save himself.

“Bucky,” Steve’s voice came out angrier than he intended, “what-”

“I know, I know. It’s not a reasonable thing to ask, I know that, Stevie.” Bucky looked back at him with sad eyes. “But, if something happens to me and Nat,” Steve opened his mouth to object but Bucky just talked over him, “you’ve got to get away. If they get their hands on you, Stevie-” he cut off in a half sob.

“They won’t, Buck. I promise.” Steve wouldn’t promise to run away, but he would promise to stay out of Hydra’s hands.

Bucky leaned down, kissing Steve on the forehead. “I’m with you, Stevie. Always.”

They fell into a light sleep after that, too nervous to get any real rest.

When they woke the next morning, the first thing Steve noticed was Natasha. Or rather, her absence. 

“Bucky?”

“Mmm?” Bucky replied groggily behind him.

“Where’s Nat?” 

Bucky immediately sat up, floating off the seafloor for a second before sinking back down. He looked around, slowly at first then more frantically. “Nat?” Bucky kept his voice quiet, aware of how close they were to the summoning stone. 

He got up, swimming around the protection stones in a loose circle. “Nat?” he said a bit louder. 

“Shh. Geez, keep your tail on.” Nat appeared behind Steve suddenly, her arms crossed over her chest. “I was just checking the place out.”

“Where did you come from?” Bucky was still glancing around them, looking a little baffled. “Seriously, how did you-”

“Oh please,” she said, rolling her eyes. “So they’ve got two gaurds by the coast right now. Looked to be a centaur and an elf. Shouldn’t be too difficult. There’s two more guards past the stone standing watch by the mountains. I couldn’t quite get close enough to see what they were for sure, but one looked to be an ogre. Not sure about the other.”

“That doesn’t sound too bad.” Steve was still sitting on the ocean floor.

“No, it’s not. But they have a barrier around the stone. Magic. Pretty strong too from what I could sense. It’ll take time to break through.” 

“We can give you time.” Bucky glanced down, nodding at Steve. 

Natasha smiled a little savagely as she said, “Well then, what are we waiting for? Let’s go destroy a stone.”

They headed out after a quick meal. Steve was too nervous to eat, but took a few bites of kelp when Bucky gave him a worried look. He felt like it would come back up, but he somehow managed to keep it down. 

The coast was lined with large rocks, jutting out sharply into the waves of the ocean. It was a bit colder here than Bucky’s cave, the water around them giving Steve goosebumps. Large mountains rose into the sky not too far back from the beach. The whole area gave Steve a menacing vibe, like it was warning people to stay away. Even the water around him seemed unsettled, the waves rough like it was trying to escape. 

The centaur and elf stood close to the beach, several feet apart, as they conversed about something. They weren’t exactly keeping watch, which was probably a good sign. They didn’t expect an attack on the stone.

They hid behind a large rock, the closest they could get to the beach without being spotted. Breaking the surface, Natasha held her hand up, signaling for Steve and Bucky to stay put. 

She dove back under the water, making her way toward the beach slowly. Steve didn’t like sitting here behind a rock while Natasha did the work, but he did as he was told and waited. 

He didn’t have to wait long. Soon the centaur started coughing harshly, as he clutched at his throat. His front legs gave out, and he fell to the rocky sand. He started gagging as the elf pounded on his back. 

Natasha slowly emerged from the water, just her head at first, but kept advancing until Steve could see her arm extended, her hand cupped like it was around the centaur’s throat. 

She was half way out of the water before the elf noticed her, too busy trying to help the centaur. He gave a shout, pulling his bow from around his shoulder and an arrow from the quiver on his back. He nocked the arrow, taking aim at Natasha and Steve couldn’t wait anymore. He had to do something. He couldn’t leave it all to Natasha. 

Calling his powers to the surface, Steve raised a wall of water in front of Natasha just as the elf let his arrow loose. It cut through the water, but was knocked off course enough that it sailed harmlessly over Natasha’s head. 

Steve could see the other guards running in their direction, alerted by all the commotion. He pushed himself out from behind the rock, Bucky following Steve, yelling is name. He grabbed onto Steve’s arm, trying to hold him back but Steve yanked his arm free and kept moving toward the beach. 

Natasha still had the centaur in her hold, his eye’s starting to roll back as he struggled from lack of air. The elf was preparing to loose another arrow before Natasha flicked her hand, sweeping his feet out from under him. 

Steve was close enough now to see the other two guards clearly, another elf and an ogre. They were drawing closer to the shore, zeroing in on Natasha. She still stood in the water, her legs being pushed forward by the rough waves. She dropped her hand, the centaur dropping along with it, seeming to be unconscious as he lay on the rough sand. 

Steve drew up next to Natasha just as the first elf made it back to his feet. He drew on his powers, calling up a large wave of water, several feet tall that pushed forward and came crashing down onto the elf’s head. He was knocked off his feet once more, washing down the beach, until he was almost in the ocean. Sputtering, he sat on the sand, groping around blindly for his bow. 

Natasha turned her attention to the new guards. With a flick of her fingers, the ogre went completely rigid, falling forward onto his face into the sand. He seemed to struggle, trying to move, but only managed to rock side to side slightly. 

Steve was so distracted watching Natasha that he didn’t notice the arrow the second elf had loosed, heading right toward him. He started to call up a wall of water, but he already knew he was too late. Just a few feet before it hit him in the chest, a sharp clang rang out as a trident appeared, knocking the arrow away from the nymph. 

Steve barely had time to look at Bucky before the merman was twisting away, trident in hand. He turned back to the beach, seeing the first elf on his feet again, bow in hand. 

Behind him, he heard Bucky yell, “Go!” probably signaling for Natasha to start working on the stone’s barrier. 

Steve focused on the elf in front of him, wrapping water around his legs, and flinging him to the side. He pushed the elf against a rock, water pressing down on his chest and arms as he struggled to break free. Steve kept the elf restrained as he looked back to check on Natasha and Bucky. 

The centaur still laid unconscious on the ground not too far from the immobile ogre. Bucky was pulling himself onto the shore, his tail still submerged in water as the rough waves pushed him forward. The second elf sat tied up off to the right, with some sort of black vine covering his wrists and ankles. Natasha was at the summoning stone, running her hands around it and murmuring something Steve couldn’t hear. 

Bucky looked over to Steve. “That wasn’t so bad, huh, Stevie?”

Steve smiled, heaving a small sigh of relief. He checked to make sure his elf was secure, the water holding him in place as he made his way up the shore. 

Just when Steve thought they had done it, the hard part was over, a voice cut through the air. “Hello again, little nymph.”

Steve felt his stomach drop as he turned to see the woodland fairy, Vipra flying over a large stone. Her wings still looked battered and twitched with every flap, almost like it was painful for her to fly. _Good_ , Steve thought. 

The satisfaction in seeing her injured wings didn’t last long however, with a flick of her hand, vines sprang up from the sand, wrapping around Steve’s arms. 

“No!” Bucky yelled from the waves. 

Steve wasn’t worried though, he called forth tendrils of water, snapping them forward to slice through the vines like a knife. The green plants fell away, seeming to crawl away from his feet. 

Natasha hadn’t paused in her task, her murmurs coming faster and faster as the stone started to glow slightly.

The fairy noticed this and turned toward her. “How clever. You think you can stop me?” Steve called more waves forward, bringing as much water as he could closer to the stone. “Nothing can stop me. Nothing can stop Deabru Gorria. He _will_ rise again.” 

The fairy sped forward, her arms outstretched as plants sprang up around her. Steve washed away what he could with his waves, but his priority was protecting Natasha so she could finish. He surrounded her with massive walls of water, taller than he had ever made before. He concentrated all of his power and focus into it, making sure that the fairy wouldn’t be able to break through, even with her vegetation. 

He was so focused he didn’t notice her going after Bucky until it was too late. 

A scream of pain sounded behind him and Steve whirled around to see Bucky sitting in the sand, his trident raised in the air, pushing off vines as they tried to grab him. The vines were everywhere, hundreds of them pushing down on him, covering him in sharp green leaves. He collapsed under the weight, as Steve let out a cry. 

He dropped his barrier around Natasha, racing to where Bucky was. He used water to cut away vines until he could see a flash of Bucky’s red tail. He started using his hands too, tearing away vegetation, frantic to get to the merman. 

With a sharp cry of frustration, Steve cut through the remaining vines with a brutal force, water tendrils sharp as daggers as they sliced through the air. 

Bucky lay on the sand, shallow waves lapping around him. His hand gripped around his side, blood seeping from between his fingers. 

Steve sucked in a sharp breath. This couldn’t be happening. Not again. 

Bucky smiled up weakly at him, reaching his other hand up to cup his cheek. “Stevie,” the name came out barely more than a whisper and Steve saw red. 

Not again. He couldn’t lose Bucky. Not Bucky. He already lost everyone else. 

The shallow water around him bubbled as Steve heard the fairy’s voice again, “I told you. Nothing can stop Deabru Gorria.”

Steve looked up to see the fairy with her hand around Natasha’s throat, smiling savagely at Steve. 

Something inside him snapped. He felt his anger boiling over, and he didn’t even try to stop it. 

His power burst from him, and for the first time in his life he let it have complete reign over him. The sea rose up behind him. Miles and miles of water rising up as far as the eye could see, obeying Steve with a flick of his wrist. 

Steve could feel the water, it was an extension of him, it was part of his soul. And it was furious. 

The fairy dropped Natasha, looking up at the sheer size of the water in front of her. Her wings twitched in fear as her widened eyes turned to Steve. She opened her mouth, but Steve was done. He didn’t want to hear what she had to say. 

Steve released the wall, letting the ocean waves crash down on top of them. The sheer amount of water that crashed onto the coast flooded the land, spreading the ocean beyond the beach for hundreds of yards. They were swept up in the water, being twisted about as the current churned violently. 

Steve could feel Bucky and Natasha in the water, he reached for them, bringing them toward him as carefully as he could manage in the torrent. He gently wrapped his powers around Bucky, trying to cradle his injured side.

With the summoning stone now submerged in water, Steve sank down below the waves, pulling Natasha and Bucky with him. As soon as he could, he swam over to the merman, pulling him into his arms. 

Bucky’s eyes were closed, his hand still wrapped around his bleeding side. He needed some of that ointment Bucky made for his cuts. “Bucky- Bucky, please…” Steve’s anger was washing away, quickling being replaced by grief once more. He couldn’t do this again. Gods, not again. 

He stroked Bucky’s cheek lightly, softly calling his name over and over. 

“He’ll be okay.” Natasha was at his side, looking closely at the merman’s wound. 

“How do you know?” Steve sobbed.

She didn’t answer. She placed her hand over Bucky’s, closing her eyes and muttering a few words. The bleeding immediately stopped, as she took her hand away. She looked up at Steve and repeated, “He’ll be okay.” 

She pushed herself off the submerged beach and made her way to the summoning stone. Steve looked back down at Bucky, not needing to watch whatever Natasha was doing. Bucky was all that mattered right now. 

Steve leaned down, brushing his lips against Bucky’s forehead. He lingered for just a second, pouring all of the prayers he could out to every god or goddess that would hear him. Bucky had to be okay. 

The merman’s eyes fluttered open. He looked up at Steve a little groggily. “Hey Stevie.” His voice was soft, full of adoration. 

“Bucky! Oh thank the gods.” Steve drew the merman even closer, crushing him to his skinny chest. 

“Aren’t you a god? So thank yourself?” Bucky smiled up dopily at him. 

“Shut up, jerk.” Steve was smiling so wide he thought his face would split in two. 

“Did we win?” Bucky looked around. “When did we get underwater?”

A small laugh burst out of Steve. “Yeah, we won.” 

A loud crack and a burst of light flashed from behind Steve, making him turn to see the summoning stone split in two. 

“ _Now_ we won.” Natasha made her way over to the two of them, swaying in the water. 

“What happened? Where’s the fairy?” Bucky tried sitting up, only to stop with a wince of pain. 

Steve pushing him back down into his lap with a gentle hand on his shoulder. 

“They washed away,” Natasha said with a shrug, like it was no big deal.

“Are you okay, Stevie?” Bucky was looking up at him with large blue eyes.

“Me? Are you kidding? You’re the one who I thought was gonna die, Buck.” Steve’s heart tugged just saying the words out loud. He had to reassure himself, Bucky was okay. He was fine now. 

“I saw her grab you though. I panicked- thought that-” Bucky’s words started coming quickly.

“I’m fine, Buck.” Steve cut him off. “I promise. We’re all okay.”

Bucky gave him that smile that was like the sun. “I told you we would be.”


	15. Chapter 15

Bucky was laying in his bed, his side bandaged up with some kelp. He was smiling to himself as Steve swam around, fussing over every little thing. Bucky was thrilled to learn that Steve turned into a protective mother when Bucky was hurt. 

Steve was using his powers to grow some more algae for Bucky to cushion his bed. Again. “Stevie, it’s good. _I’m_ good.” 

Warmth washed over Bucky as Steve blushed slightly. “I just want to make sure you’re comfy, Bucky.”

“I know, doll, I know.” Bucky reached out, grabbing Steve’s arm. Gods, how he loved this nymph. He pulled him down to rest on the bed with Bucky. “You know what would really help though?”

“What?” Steve looked at him eagerly, ready to spring up and get Bucky whatever he might need. 

“A kiss.” Bucky smiled wickedly down at Steve before leaning in to capture his lips. 

Steve moved to rest against him, being careful of his injured side. Bucky loved the little noises he would make and the little gusts of water her would exhale against his cheek while they kissed. And the taste, gods, the taste. Bucky would never taste enough of Steve. 

How did he get so lucky? To stumble upon this magnificent, feisty, little water nymph who just happened to be lying by his garden. Bucky knew he didn’t deserve it, but he was damn sure going to enjoy it. 

Steve was still working on his guilt over his mother’s death, and now with Bucky getting injured, he had even more guilt to deal with. Bucky reassured him many times over that his safety wasn’t Steve’s responsibility. He was doing what had to be done to see the mission through. As a soldier, Bucky understood that. Steve was still having trouble accepting it. Bucky didn’t mind, though. He was glad to help Steve navigate the path to recovery, knowing himself how difficult it can be to deal with guilt. And Bucky would always be there for Steve. That was just a fact. 

Bucky pulled Steve tightly into his arms, rolling onto his back so Steve was rested above him, the waves gently rocking them back and forth. He ran his hands up and down Steve’s body, feeling the silky smoothness of his skin. 

He loved to trace the blue lines in Steve’s skin whenever he could, the motion making the nymph shiver in delight. He would map out every part of Steve’s body that he could, worshiping the nymph who had fallen into his arms. Bucky found it hard to keep his hands off Steve now that his touch was welcome. 

Steve slowly moved his body against Bucky’s, grinding down lightly on him. He told Bucky that he loved the feeling of his scales against his skin, so Bucky took every chance he could to wrap his tail around him, rubbing his skin softly. 

Bucky groaned into Steve’s mouth, feeling his tongue caress his own. Steve’s hands ran up and down Bucky’s arms lightly, moving to his shoulders before continuing their exploration down to Bucky’s chest. The merman loved the feeling of the nymphs hands on him, he couldn’t get enough. 

Something bumped against Bucky’s tail, but he ignored it, not wanting to end his kiss with Steve. He felt a sharp pain soon after and pulled away to see Tony snapping at him. 

“What?” Bucky snapped back.

The turtle swam up, tucking his head under Steve’s hand. 

“You’re spoiled, ya know that?” Bucky told the turtle as Steve obediently started stroking Tony’s neck. 

“Don’t listen to him. He actually loves you.” Steve whispered conspiratively to the turtle. 

“Lies.” Bucky leaned back toward Steve, peppering his neck with kisses. 

“It’s true.” Tony bobbed his head up and down, as if agreeing with Steve. 

“I hate you both.” Bucky mumbled from Steve’s neck.

“Yeah, right. You love us.” Steve kept stroking Tony’s neck while Bucky paused in his task. 

He pulled back to look the nymph in the eye, bringing a hand up to cradle his face. “I do, ya know. I love you.” Steve’s eyes widened as he searched Bucky’s face. He broke into a blinding grin before leaping forward even further into Bucky’s arms, pushing Tony aside. 

He peppered small kisses all over Bucky’s face before taking his lips in an enthusiastic kiss. “I love you too, jerk,” he mumbled against his lips. 

Bucky felt his heart soar. He wrapped the nymph up in his arms again, blocking out the rest of the world. 

All that mattered was Steve. 

He was all that would ever matter.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for reading!!! I really hope you enjoyed!!
> 
> Once again, huge thank you to Littleblackfox and Aylwyyn228!! You guys are so amazing!!!
> 
> And HUGE THANK YOU to the mods of Cap RBB 2019!!! You guys are truly heroes!!
> 
> I'd love to add a part 2 to this, let me know what you guys think!

**Author's Note:**

> Once again, thank you so much to littleblackfox and aylwyyn228 for all their help and support! You guys are so amazing. I wouldn't have been able to do this without you.


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